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= Water security =

Water security is considered to be a necessity of sustainable development for its importance in the quality of life of the people in a region. Sustainable development would result in lowered poverty and increased living standards for those most susceptible to the impacts of insecure water resources in the region, especially women and children. By clearly defining the responsibilities and control over water management for high usage sectors in terms of finance, planning, agriculture, energy, industry, and health, development may progress to the point of sustainable living for all.

Already in countries with high water usage, such as the United States and China, these regulations are prominent and grow in number still. International and intranational water conflicts have long been mediated by regulations and treaties, but instances involving worsening situations show some dire outlooks.

China Domestic Policy
Due to continual economic growth and population size, China is one of the world’s leading water consumers. China withdraws roughly 600 billion cubic meters of water on a yearly basis. The country surpasses the United States by 120 billion cubic meters and falls short of India by 160 billion cubic meters. For this reason, China’s domestic policy remains one of the most vital on a national and international scale.

Water Scarcity in China
There is a large disconnect between the size of China’s population and their overall allocation of the world’s water resources, containing roughly 18% of the global population but only 6% of its water. China’s per capita water usage is just over a quarter of the global average. Despite China’s immense economic growth, the World Resources Institute lists many of the more populated areas of the country as experiencing high (40% - 80% of renewable ground water extracted yearly) or extremely high (>80%) water stress. The WRI has also evaluated a similar portion of the country in the range of 3 to 5 on their overall water risk index, a measurement accounting for a variety of qualitative and quantitative evaluations. Issues relating to water quality and quantity are likely primary limiting factors in China’s sustainable economic and infrastructural development.

Yet, despite China’s water predicament, there has actually been a deal of progress made over the last 3 decades in providing its citizens with improved drinking water. According to the UN, almost a quarter of the world’s progress in this regard occurred in China, with 457 million citizens seeing enhanced water availability and quality from 1990 to 2010. The UN attribute this progress to increased water pipe systems, highlighting the importance of domestic policy.

China's Water Security Plan
Perhaps one of the more well known initiatives of the Chinese government for the purposes of water sustainability is the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. The project is one of the largest of its kind and intends to reroute water from the less populated, high water availability areas in Southern China to the population centers with water supply issues of Northern China. The project should help to alleviate water shortages for citizens in these areas in the process of sustaining water consumption in sectors that use large sums of water, such as industry and agriculture.

China introduces five year plans every fifth year pertaining to various issues facing the country. They are a guiding initiative that do not necessarily pertain to legal enforcement, but rather economic and social guidance and planning. The Eleventh Five-Year Plan introduced in 2006 intended see a 30% decrease in water consumption per unit industry increase, limiting water usage while enabling economic and industrial growth. In 2016, the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan was introduced along with the goal of limiting annual water consumption per year to 670 billion cubic meters. These guidelines played an important role in China showing a reduction in water consumption for the first time in over a decade in 2014.

Domestic Regulations and Policy
A number of laws have been passed in the last two decades that aimed to reduce water usage, waste, and pollution as well as increase disaster preparedness.


 * Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law (Amended 2017): First passed in 1984, this amendment attempts to substantially change parameters surrounding all aspects of water security. Fully encompassing specifics for actions that constitute a violation against the law, who is subject to specific enforcements, and legal liability (including a notable increase in fines) for both the perpetrators or the agency tasked with supervision that fails to act in accordance with the laws.


 * Resource Tax Law (2020): A law providing local government the ability to set local tax rates on natural resource usage with the intention of enabling them to protect specific resources more effectively. The law also, for the first time, lists water as a natural resource, giving local authorities the ability to promote water preservation and limit waste.


 * Water Law (Amended 2002): First passed in 1988, this amendment provided sections relating to water allocation right, extraction rights, use and conservation parameters, pollution prevention, and basin management. This law could be seen as a turning point in the early 2000s for water security recognition.

Support and Criticism of Chinese Water Management
Some have offered praise to China’s campaign over the last two decades to improve water quality, noting the significant effort on fronts regarding industrial and agricultural pollution limitations, and improved water pipe infrastructure. There has also been a great deal of focus on the exponentially higher investments and spending on water conservatory projects, a trend beginning in the early 2000s. Additionally, titling the 2011 Central Document No.1 “The Decision on Accelerating the Reform and Development of Water Conservancy” is recognized as some as having been a substantial step in committing to water security due to its place as the country’s most notable policy document for the given year.

However, many have their concerns and criticisms with China’s handling of the water crisis. With notable investments into conservatory projects and recognition of the issue in early 2000s legislation, many have come to criticize China for its failure to introduce effective water resource management practices earlier than their mid-2010s onset. For nearly a decade the regulations set forth in the Water Laws regulation were not effectively enforced, so although there were effective measures drafted, the issues continued to develop. Following the decision to go forth with and begin building the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in 2002, there was a great deal of pushback regarding economic justification, local community disruption and relocation, and environmental strain on southern China. Regardless, upon assessment and weighing of these criticisms against the benefits of water relocation, the project’s construction continues.

Water scarcity and water conflicts
While the demand for water grows because of the growth of global population, many places around the world are also experiencing droughts and water pollution due to climate change. This could trigger intense competition for water, leading to regional instability. Sometimes referred to as water conflict, regulation and disputes between water access rights most often occur in areas with low water, or worsening water situations. Approximately 60% of global river water must be shared bilaterally or multilaterally, thus, agreements are frequently implemented between all parties involved.

Even when these agreements are optimized for all parties involved some countries may still have to turn to water imports as a main source of freshwater. A severe example is Pakistan, a country in frequently in conflicts over water with India, who imports 76% of their water resources – India imports 34% of theirs. A select number of rivers serve as hotspots for neighboring country water sources. The Nile River’s resources, for example, are shared by 11 countries. Situations such as these have given rise to over 3800 unilateral, bilateral, or multilateral water declarations or conventions concerning water globally, and 286 treaties. As water scarcity issues increase, these may become more common and actively sought after.

India-Pakistan water conflicts
Since the two countries share much of the resources of the Indus water basin, India and Pakistan decided on a notable and influential treaty called the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). The treaty is mediated by the World Bank and regulates the water use and flow of the basin’s multiple rivers by each country. The treaty has survived three wars, but seen its share of bilateral strains. Following high tensions in 2019, the Indian Prime Minister threatened to restrict water flow to Pakistan in the region – an act which Pakistan would consider an act of war.