Water: How Secure are we?
Special Seminar with Honorary Degree Candidate听Dr. Vijay P. Singh,听听Ph.D., D.Sc., Ph.D. (Hon.), D. Eng. (Hon.), D.Sc. (Hon.), Hon. D. WRE, P.E.,听P.H., Dist. M. ASCE, Dist. Hon. M. IWRA, Hon. M. AWRA, Dist. F. AGGS, NAE听Distinguished Professor, Regents Professor听Caroline & William N. Lehrer Distinguished Chair in Water Engineering听Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-2117, USA
The current global water situation makes it abundantly听clear that water shortages in many areas of the world are听multiplying; current patterns of use and abuse of water resources
are rising; the water source-to-sea connections are being severely听interrupted; severe and long droughts are becoming more听frequent; wetlands are being damaged; the balance between听freshwater and saltwater is changing; and freshwater fish听populations are precipitously declining. These occurrences point听to a global water crisis which is impacting food supply, energy听generation, environment, ecosystem health, and social and听economic well-being.
Thus, we ask the question: What is water听security and what systems can we engineer to ensure water听security under the specter of global warming and looming climate听change? How is this security impacted by a burgeoning population,听rising standard of living, growing energy demands, and massive听migration of people?
To address these questions entails answering听a number of other questions:听 What is climate change?听 Why听is global warming occurring?听 How do the growing population and听rising standard of living affect water security?听 What is the听relation of water security to food security, energy security, health听security, and ecological security?听 Is water security entirely a听technical problem?听 What is the role of engineers in enhancing听and maintaining water security?听 What systems need to be听engineered to help ensure water security?
These and related听questions will be dealt with in this presentation.
Finally, a听personal perspective on water security and engineering solutions听will be presented.
Hosted by the Department of Bioresource Engineering