Watch: Peter Gleick on Peak Water

Watch: Peter Gleick on Peak Water

February 5, 2009 By Wilson Center Staff

“The concept of ‘peak water’ is very analogous to peak oil…we’re using fossil groundwater. That is, we’re pumping groundwater faster than nature naturally recharges it,” says Peter Gleick in this short expert analysis from the Environmental Change and Security Program. Gleick, president and co-founder of the Pacific Institute and author of the newest edition of The World’s Water, explains the new concept of peak water.

Topics: conservation, livelihoods, natural resources, population, video, water
- http://www.blogger.com/profile/16011084320394248113 Nautilus
  
  great work; are there also analogies to the Saudi withheld data problem in estimating peak oil in the peak water field? Peter Hayes
- http://www.pacinst.org Peter Gleick
  
  Peter, if I understand you, then yes, there are strong analogies with either the absence of good data on how much groundwater is available; or conversely data are available but often withheld, making sustainable management very difficult.
  Peter Gleick
- FR
  
  Hi Peter,
  
  Thanks for sharing.
  
  Do you have any data on the Zayande rud, (one of the biggest rivers in Iran drying out right now)?
  FR
- http://www.blogger.com/profile/13222227395253556113 John Casana
  
  Peter,
  
  The concept of peak water is valid and timely. We must work toward establishing consensus on metrics to relate the economic benefit to ecological cost, for consistency.
  
  -John Casana
- http://www.wsscc.org Dave Trouba
  
  Good job on the report, as always, Peter. We shall order a copy for our office.
- Anonymous
  
  Please check out what the Water School is doing in Africa using the UV rays of the sun to purify drinking water for those without access to clean water. (Which is 99% of Africans)
  
  You can check out their website for more information.
  
  Thanks to the folks at FreeCause.com, The Water School has access to an incredible “passive revenue” generating tool. This is an incredible opportunity and it is a very easy way for you to support our work to bring clean water to kids in Africa and the Developing World.
  
  You can download it at: http://download.freecause.com/?toolid=59595
  
  It is a toolbar that automatically installs to your web-browser. Each time you use it – to do a websearch, etc. – it generates revenue for TWS (based on internet traffic – don’t ask me much more than that!). So, the more people who use it, the more $$ is sent to TWS.
  
  It would really help us out A LOT, if you could:
  
  1. Download it personally and use it
  2. Put a link to it on your website encouraging others to download and use it
  3. Send an email out to your client/email/friend list encouraging them to download and use it
  
  Email mpenner@thewaterschool.org or visit our website at http://www.TheWaterSchool.org for more information.
  
  FYI: As per the conversation below, the toolbar is Mac or PC compatible with Firefox or Explorer
  
  Thanks for your time, Jodi Penner
- http://www.alexbell.org.uk alex bell
  
  Always good to listen to Peter Gleick. The book 'Peak Water: Civilisation and world's water crisis' puts this idea in historical context. It's published this October in the UK by Luath.
- http://www.blogger.com/profile/06879717523570673829 Appe
  
  Peter,
  
  Excellent idea. The South Asian region are facing inadequecy of water and thereby forcely using excessive groundwater. Do you have any data about the threat of increasing groundwater use?
- http://www.blogger.com/profile/12871749575352820527 ECSP Staff
  
  Appe, you can read more about Pakistan's water crisis in a recent Wilson Center publication, Running on Empty: https://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2009/09/running-on-empty-pakistans-water-crisis.html
- http://www.blogger.com/profile/06879717523570673829 Appe
  
  Peter,
  
  Thank you very much. Go ahead.
  
  Appel (Jakerul Abeidn)

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