Publications

Economies of Scale and Scope in River Basin Management

This paper provides pragmatic guidance for more effective water management.

The World’s Water, Volume 4

In this fourth volume of his highly regarded series, Gleick and his research team focus on the most significant current trends worldwide: how to meet the basic needs of over 1 billion people without access to clean water, the growing controversy over public vs. private water, the role of conservation and efficiency in solving water problems, and concerns about skyrocketing bottled water use.

The Myth and Reality of Bottled Water

Sales and consumption of bottled water have skyrocketed in recent years. Sales and consumption of bottled water have skyrocketed in recent years. But users should not assume that the purity of bottled water is adequately protected, regulated, or monitored; in many countries, such as the United States, bottlers themselves do most of the sampling and testing, which opens the door to fraud, misreporting, and inadequate protection.

Clearing the Air in West Oakland: A West Oakland Snapshot

West Oakland: A SnapshotArea “inside the freeways”

California’s “Economic Productivity” of Water Use: Jobs, Income, and Water Use in California

Who Develops ISO Standards? A Survey of Participation in ISO’s International Standards Development Processes

Energy Down the Drain: The Hidden Costs of California’s Water Supply

Energy is used at all stages of water supply, from groundwater pumping for agriculture to the treatment of water for municipal consumption.

Freshwater Resources: Managing the Risks Facing the Private Sector

Many businesses around the world, from beverage companies to garment manufacturers, are failing to prepare for the serious economic and political risks posed by increasing water scarcity, water contamination, water supply disputes, and a host of other water-related challenges.

The External Value Environmental Management System Voluntary Guidance: Gaining Value by Addressing Stakeholder Needs

Plan, do, check, act -- that's the heart of an Environmental Management System (EMS), which is a systematic approach to managing an organization's environment impacts.

Public or Private Water Management?

‘‘Public versus private’’ is not the bright line that separates efficient from inefficient management. Like Alexander the Great, who ‘‘untied’’ the Gordian Knot with one slice from a sharp knife, we believe that the real solution to water problems worldwide has been overshadowed by the ideological debate between advocates and opponents of privatization.

Global Freshwater Resources: Soft-Path Solutions for the 21st Century

Twentieth century water policies relied on the construction of massive infrastructure in the form of dams, aqueducts, pipelines, and complex centralized treatment plants to meet human demands.

West Oakland Residents Choking on Toxic Diesel Exhaust

Residents of West Oakland are exposed to far more than their fair share of toxic diesel pollution.

Waste Not, Want Not: The Potential for Urban Water Conservation in California

The largest, least expensive, and most environmentally sound source of water to meet California's future needs is the water currently being wasted in every sector of our economy.

Climate Change and California Water Resources: A Survey and Summary of the Literature

A new revision of a report on climate change and California water resources is now available.

Water Efficiency Testimony

Testimony of Dr. Peter H. Gleick