This section explores the nuances of global water challenges, featuring insights by our researchers, collaborative pieces with our partners, and Q&A styled dialogues with industry experts. It complements our work by providing context, commentary, and a deeper understanding of our research findings.
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Huffington Post: The Untapped Savings in California’s Water Supply
June 10, 2014
For over 150 years, Californians have argued, litigated, yelled, and otherwise fought over water. California is a big state - we have redwood forests, desert regions, mountains, coasts, rich agricultural lands, amazing natural ecosystems.
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Huffington Post: Will New Climate Regulations Destroy the Economy? (Hint: No.)
June 3, 2014
There is a long history of claims that new rules to protect the environment or human health will seriously harm the United States economy.
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Huffington Post: Water and Conflict in Syria
May 28, 2014
Starting in 2006 and lasting through 2011, Syria suffered the worst long-term drought and the most severe set of crop failures in recorded history. In a new research paper, I've looked at the role of regional drought...
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Reflections from the CEO Water Mandate’s Meetings in Peru
May 21, 2014
About a month ago, Jason Morrison, Mai-Lan Ha, Stefanie Woodward, and I flew to Lima, Peru to convene the CEO Water Mandate’s thirteenth multi-stakeholder conference.
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Huffington Post: Throwing Away Good Water
April 18, 2014
On April 16, security cameras recorded some teenage delinquents trespassing around the Mount Tabor Reservoir No. 5 in Portland, Oregon. One of them was seen peeing through the fence.
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National Geographic ScienceBlogs: On the Back of an Envelope: That Glass of Water in a Restaurant?
April 10, 2014
And as appropriate, there is growing debate about what we, as citizens, communities, corporations, and governments should do to tackle water shortages and the bigger question of sustainable water policy.
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Do Businesses in the U.S. Have an Enlightened Self-Interest in Sustainable Water Management?
April 8, 2014
Water challenges are not just an issue for companies with operations and/or suppliers in developing countries; they are confronting businesses here and now in the United States.
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Colorado River Flows into the Delta
March 26, 2014
The Colorado River flows again! Last Sunday – the day after World Water Day - I joined more than 200 people in an impromptu celebration at Morelos Dam, welcoming the return of water...
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Huffington Post: The State of Our Water: World Water Day 2014
March 21, 2014
Welcome to World Water Day 2014. As I said last year, I think every day should be World Water Day, not just March 22nd, but hey, we take what we can get.
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10 Shocking Facts about the World’s Water
March 16, 2014
3.4 million people—mainly children— die as a result of preventable water-related diseases every year. 1.2 billion people—nearly 20 percent of the world’s population—live in areas of physical water scarcity. What does that mean? Water withdrawals for agriculture, industry, and domestic purposes exceed 75 percent of river flows.
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With Water, California’s Bigfoot is Imported
March 10, 2014
As during most droughts, discussions of how to allocate dwindling water supplies have intensified across California. One stirring piece of the debate has pivoted around using water to produce food that is exported outside of California.
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7 Things You Need to Know about California Water
March 8, 2014
In California, an estimated 19% of the state’s electricity use and 32% of all natural gas consumption are related to water. For perspective, consider that leaving the hot water running for five minutes uses as much energy as operating a 60-W light bulb for 14 hours.
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National Geographic ScienceBlog: Clarifying the Discussion about California Drought and Climate Change
March 7, 2014
In the last few months, as the severe California drought has garnered attention among scientists, policymakers, and media, there has been a growing debate about the links between the drought and climate change.
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It’s My Drought! And Yours. Face it.
February 27, 2014
The California drought has everyone wondering what we can do. Well, we can’t make it rain.
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Rural Water Systems Struggle in the Good Times and the Bad
February 21, 2014
The current drought is shaping up to be particularly damaging to small and rural communities.
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Finding Light (and Water) at the End of the (Drought) Tunnel, on the Farm and for the Future
February 11, 2014
With all the flurry of attention surrounding the drought these days, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by the bleak future of California’s water.
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National Geographic ScienceBlogs: Learning from Drought: Five Priorities for California
February 10, 2014
Droughts – especially severe droughts – are terribly damaging events. The human and ecosystem costs can be enormous, as we may relearn during the current California drought.
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California’s “Bellwether” Drought
February 7, 2014
It is time to recognize the serious California drought for what it is: a bellwether of things to come; a harbinger of even more serious challenges to California water resources allocation, management, and use.
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Defining Water Scarcity, Water Stress, and Water Risk
February 4, 2014
Over the past couple years, the Pacific Institute’s Corporate Sustainability Program, in its role with the UN Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate, has been developing the Corporate Water Disclosure Guidelines, which provide a common framework for how companies can report water-related information to stakeholders in a meaningful manner.
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Infographic: What to Expect from California’s Drought
January 24, 2014
While our weather-beaten friends in the Midwest and Northeast braced for near-record low temperatures and polar vortex snowstorms, Californians rang in the New Year with a rainless January.
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