Planetary Pyrexia

There are many important world issues that negatively affect the planet in what appears to be a never ending cycle--unfortunately, they are all interconnected. Currently, climate change along with the control of water and energy resources are a true threat to humanity and Earth's biodiversity. The rise in temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans, has wrecked havoc throughout our numerous and complex ecosystems. Sadly, this is the compounding effect of our actions as individuals.

Practices such as the indiscriminate burning of fossil fuels, and clear cutting are transforming semi-arid regions into deserts and are causing drought like conditions in some traditional crop growing areas. Third world countries are particularly vulnerable--they can no longer sustain large populations under these conditions, despite having access to genetically engineered drought resistant seeds. Poverty and hunger have become rampant (this has already happened in parts of Africa). Additionally, millions of people will be at risk from costal flooding due to rising sea levels, especially in densely populated and low-lying areas. This will contaminate fresh groundwater supplies as well.

The United Nations states that access to safe water is a basic human right, yet millions of people die from contaminated drinking water (bacteria, parasites and arsenic from mining operations) or drought every year.  Do you fear that the complexity of the politics concerning the control of water will cause political unrest if governments do not begin to address how to sustainably distribute clean fresh water resources now? This is a finite resource (just as oil is), so how can our generation better manage its use? Rivers often flow through several countries...