Water Scarcity: Crisis and Response (FutureLearn)

You will examine the dual nature of water scarcity, first examining reasons for diminishing supplies, like growing human populations, climate, lifestyle, poor water management, and poor governance. You will then learn about the conflicts that arise over water, and most importantly you will learn what can be done to ensure adequate supplies for people and nature.

What topics will you cover?

- Hydrologic cycle and water tables

- Coping with global water scarcity

- Types of water scarcity

- Solving the problems of water scarcity

- What factors lead to water conflicts

- What factors block solutions and make conflicts worse

- Governance of water and water boundaries

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

- Explore the dual nature and varied causes of freshwater scarcity.

- Reflect on the conflicts that arise in response to freshwater scarcity.

- Investigate what can be done to improve access to freshwater for people and nature.

- Modify your own behavior around water consumption and sustainability.