This brochure has been developed for the Water for Food and Ecosystems programme on behalf of the 3rd World Water Forum

Our thirst for water grows with our population, but the amount of fresh water available on Earth is fixed. This book explores water and food production at global and regional scales. The collection offers a comprehensive discussion of all relevant issues.

The world is on the brink of the greatest crisis it has ever faced: a spiraling lack of fresh water. Groundwater is drying up as water demands for food production, for energy, and for manufacturing are surging. Water is emerging as a headline geopolitical issue and worsening water security will soon have dire consequences in many parts of the global economic system. Directed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon at the 2008 Davos Annual Meeting, the World Economic Forum assembled the world's foremost group of public, private, non-governmental organization and academic experts to examine the water crisis issue from all perspectives. The result of their work is this stark, non-technical overview of where we will be by 2025 if we take a business-as-usual approach to (mis)managing our water resources. Equally stunning are the potential solutions and the recommendations that the group presents. All are included in this landmark publication. Water Security contains compelling commentary from leading decision-makers, past and present. The commentary is supported by analysis from leading academics of how the world economy will be affected if world leaders cannot agree on solutions. The book suggests how business and politics need to manage energy-food-water-climate nexus as leaders negotiate details of the climate regime that replace Kyoto Protocols.

"This policy-focused, global and multidisciplinary security handbook on Facing Global Environmental Change addresses new security threats of the 21st century posed by climate change, desertification, water stress, population growth and urbanization. These security dangers and concerns lead to migration, crises and conflicts. They are on the agenda of the UN, OECD, OSCE, NATO and EU. In 100 chapters, 132 authors from 49 countries analyze the global debate on environmental, human and gender, energy, food, livelihood, health and water security concepts and policy problems. In 10 parts they discuss the context and the securitization of global environmental change and of extreme natural and societal outcomes. They suggest a new research programme to move from knowledge to action, from reactive to proactive policies and to explore the opportunities of environ-mental cooperation for a new peace policy."--Jacket.