What else can be added to this? Water accompanies us every day—often taken for granted. But nothing is as vital as this precious resource. Without water, there would be no life: it nourishes people, plants, and animals and is the basis of our own health and our entire existence.
Clean water is particularly important. It ensures our food supply, enables hygiene, and protects us from disease. At the same time, however, water is under pressure worldwide: climate change, environmental pollution, and rising consumption threaten the availability of clean drinking water.
But water itself is also a means of power and a factor in security. It plays a central political role—locally, nationally, and internationally. It is not only a natural resource, but also has other important aspects such as power, security, and justice. Countries that have access to water sources such as rivers, dams, and, above all, groundwater have considerable political influence as a result. Conflicts often arise where water is scarce or used across borders. Water scarcity exacerbates droughts and can trigger famine, migration, instability, and social unrest.
|
