Dr. Jay Famiglietti, a hydrologist and Global Futures Professor, dives into the implications of former President Trump's controversial remarks about Canada's water resources. He discusses the delicate balance of water management between the U.S. and Canada amid rising climate challenges. The conversation shifts to viewing water as a commodity, exploring the potential economic impact of selling Canadian water. Famiglietti emphasizes the urgent need for strategic policies to address water scarcity and highlights the significance of understanding domestic water issues before engaging in international debates.
Effective transboundary water management between the U.S. and Canada is crucial, especially with climate change impacting water resources.
Canada's water abundance could lead to economic opportunities, but ethical considerations must guide potential commodification and sales of this resource.
Deep dives
The Need for Effective Water Management
The discussions highlight the shared responsibility between the United States and Canada in managing transboundary water resources, particularly under the Columbia River Treaty. Effective water management is essential during varying climate conditions, which directly affect agricultural productivity and the availability of water resources. Experts emphasize that the current focus should be on preserving and managing groundwater to ensure sustainable water supplies for both countries. This collaborative approach is necessary to address the complexities surrounding water usage, especially as climate change accelerates these challenges.
Groundwater Depletion and Its Implications
Research indicates that California has been experiencing a significant decline in total water availability, largely attributed to groundwater depletion in its Central Valley agricultural region. This loss, projected at about 1.5 million acre-feet per year, intensifies concerns about food security as groundwater serves as a critical resource for irrigation. The implications of depleting such groundwater sources extend beyond California, impacting other states with similar groundwater challenges. An organized, national-level groundwater management policy is proposed as a preventive measure against potential future crises.
The Future of Water as a Commodity
The potential for water to be treated as a commodity is emerging, with Canada’s abundant water resources presenting opportunities for economic exchanges with the U.S. Market dynamics suggest that as water scarcity increases globally, prices may rise, leading to more transactions involving water based on need. This changing landscape raises ethical questions and strategic considerations about how countries manage and sell their water supplies. Experts propose that the focus should shift toward investment in efficient water use technologies and conservation methods to mitigate the need for such commodification.
According to the former and future US President, Canada's water is like a 'very large faucet' that one could turn on, say, to help California in a drought, or any other Pacific Northwest state that might need it. According to scientists, it's ... not like that at all. But still, Canada has water. And increasingly, the United States needs it.
Does Trump actually intend to ask for, buy or even take Canadian water? Would it even be possible if he wanted to? What do Canadians need to know about their abundant natural resource as the climate crisis makes it scarcer around the world? How worried should we be about Canadian water?
GUEST: Dr. Jay Famiglietti, hydrologist and Global Futures Professor at Arizona State University; former Executive Director Emeritus of the Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan
We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us: