Globalization of Water

Globalization of Water examines the critical link between water management and international trade. Local water depletion and pollution are often closely tied to the structure of the global economy. With increasing trade between nations and continents, water is more frequently used to produce exported goods. Can trade enhance global water use efficiency, or does it simply shift the environmental burden to a distant location? This book offers a consumer-based indicator of each nation's water use: the water footprint. This invaluable tool highlights the hidden link between national consumption and the use of water resources across the globe, identifying "water dependent" countries worldwide. This innovative text is designed for scientists, policy makers, and anybody interested in the relationship between globalization and sustainable water management. It offers a state-of-the-art review, provides a rich data source, and sketches the contours of a new field of knowledge.