8
DOSSIER
Water scarcity
More than 70 per cent of our planet is water; just 30 per cent
is dry land. So there should be enough water for the globe's
7 billion inhabitants. But water is becoming scarce in more
and more places. This is sometimes a passing problem but,
increasingly, it is a fact of life. The reason is that population
growth and economic growth are consuming more than nature
can provide in some areas. Water scarcity will become
a more pressing problem over the next fifty years, not just
as consumption continues to increase but also, and mainly,
because of climate change, putting a brake on economic
growth and pushing up prices. Large groups of people will
be unable to pay for basic necessities like food and water.
more manifest that people are starting to call for
integrated, sustainable solutions.’
That's when we call the Dutch.
‘We talk to English, Danish and Australian
organisations here, too. They are good at
architecture, drought and sharing water. But what
you hear most here when there are problems with
water is: bring in the Dutch! It is not for nothing
that we have a Dutchman at the head of the
Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Taskforce. Nobody
knows as much about this as you.’
Doesn't water management require
government to adopt a completely
different mindset?
‘In the Netherlands, the government can intervene
in far-reaching ways when that is needed to
prevent flooding. In America, you run up against
constitutional difficulties. Our constitution gives
the states much more freedom. So in rich states like
Texas, you can build impressive flood defences. But
resources are limited in poorer states like Louisiana.
That means you have to convince taxpayers
throughout America that they should contribute to
building a dike in Louisiana. That's a very sensitive
issue here. So we are already doing a lot. But you
can't just change the constitution.’
What can Dutch experts learn from
America?
‘You enjoy complaining about the rain but you
have a very moderate climate and you should be
happy about that. By helping us, you can learn a
lot about extreme weather and how that affects
water management. Our experience with extreme
weather means we know a lot about infrastructure
maintenance after storms. The Netherlands is a
laboratory for America, but we are increasingly
a laboratory for you.’
You have your ownWater Institute now
as well, an independent research and
knowledge institute in Louisiana. Why do
you think independence is so important?
‘With that institute, following the Deltares example,
Louisiana has taken a firm step down the right
road. A lot of funding has been generated for
the restoration of the Louisiana coast. People
are determined to spend it in the right way.
Government authorities are not always the best at
bringing in the very smartest knowledge resources
and, in big countries like America, there can be
overlap in some areas, while other things don't
get done at all. The US Army Corps of Engineers is
usually involved in this type of research but they
work in 49 states from their base in the Pentagon
and things can take a very long time. You can
concentrate resources in an independent institute
without somebody having too much control.’
And there is a newWater Campus. Is it
just for Louisiana, or also for the rest of
the world?
‘Of course, the initial focus will be on Louisiana.
But we hope to use everything we learn there in the
rest of the world.’
What is your advice for the planet?
‘It is crucial to share and improve water-related
knowledge throughout the world. The Dutch know
a lot about long-term solutions and forecasting
models; in Southern Asia they know a lot about
extreme weather. Americans are good at efficient
problem-solving. There is already a lot of
collaboration and that is generating major benefits.
I would like to imagine going one step further:
a single, independent, scientific global institute.
The challenges facing us are big enough.’
Dale Morris: ‘In America, the attitude towards water management
is clearly changing.’
