Save the Drop: Water needs, rights, and sustainability in a globalizing world

Water is life. Water is the most important ingredient for life and its sustenance on earth, necessary for plant, animal, and human survival. No wonder, therefore, that competition for the control of available water resources has grown with the stresses around climate change and the rising exploitation of water resources. This paper illustrates these growing needs around water resources and the continuing distress around access and sustainability of use. It also highlights the glaring disconnect between these global needs and the need for specific international policies to protect water resources as a resource for majority use. The exploitation of water has also led to several conflicts between communities and riparian states in various parts of the world. The author argues for consistent global policies around water rights, quality, and access that recognize water as an essential global resource that is transnational and needs urgent protection for long-term sustainability. Keywords: water resources, global needs, access, policies, sustainability.