Life Is Unfair, Just Like Your Parents Said - Environmental Issues (Middle East)

The key phrase is UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION.

Simply, it means not everyone gets the same amount of the same things.

Natural resources are not found around the world in equal portions.  For example, approximately 85% of the world's oil is found in the Middle East.

This same idea is true of any natural resource (like diamonds, trees, and water).

Many economists are beginning to believe that future wars will not be fought over things like oil or diamonds, but over water; especially in the Middle East.

TODAY we consider the premise that people must have fresh water in order to survive.

[We defined premise as a statement that most everyone would agree is true.]

We then considered the following question:

Is it possible that collecting water (which people need to survive) could ever be considered the wrong thing to do?

Two videos, with differing perspectives, help us see the deep issues.  The dam being built in Southeastern Turkey, on the Tigris River is controversial for several reasons. Watch closely.

For Turkey, the issues now are drought, unused water (is it wasted) from the river, and the need for hydroelectric power.  They want the dam.

For Iraq, the future issues are 50% less water flowing into the Tigris, negative consequences to agriculture, human migration to where the water will be, and water pollution.

What do you think should be done?

Posted via email from rrmurry's posterous