Oregon Review of International Law : Volume 22 (2021)

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International Law and Efforts to Mitigate Freshwater Scarcity
(University of Oregon School of Law, 2021-05-14) Qureshi, Waseem Ahmad
Water scarcity—shortage in the availability of water—is an impending global crisis. Climate change continues to reduce precipitation rates, which leads to a lower amount of water in rivers. An increase in global population further aggravates the crisis by reducing the overall per capita availability of water and putting increased pressure on available freshwater resources. In particular, groundwater tables are decreasing in many regions of the world, especially in Pakistan, India, and California. In addition, factories are dumping untreated industrial waste directly into fresh watercourses, which further reduces the availability of clean drinking water. This situation calls for the international community to take strong measures to ensure sustainable drinking water for everyone. This Article will include an overview of the existing situation regarding freshwater scarcity around the world. Furthermore, this Article will provide an overview of the recommended steps to mitigate water scarcity–related threats. Lastly, this Article will discuss the suggestions provided by international conventions to mitigate the problem of water scarcity.