Blue Gold: Declare War on Companies Stealing the World's Water Resources

Author: (Canada) Barlow, M.), Clarke, T.
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2004-03-01
Features: "Blue Gold" not only highlights the predicament we face in the issue of water scarcity but also provides the necessary information and strategies to enable us to fight effectively for water protection at both national and global levels. In this persuasive and passionate declaration, the authors clearly state: We must become responsible guardians of the world's freshwater resources. "Is water a basic 'need' or a basic 'right' for humanity?" Freshwater is rapidly becoming a privilege for the wealthy and a tool for profit. The world's most fundamental and indispensable resource—water—is gradually disappearing. In fact, global water scarcity could potentially lead to the most severe ecological, economic, and political crises of the 21st century. Who is making this problem worse? Multinational corporations. In "Blue Gold," author and best-selling author Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke document the rapidly expanding new industry, supported by international trade agreements: the privatization and commodification of water. They describe how multinational corporations, including speculative capital, heavy industry, bottled water companies, and the two giants of the soft drink industry, are exploiting the world's water sources, packaging them, and selling them back to us at high prices. Their actions are damaging the global ecosystem and harming community interests. "Blue Gold" not only highlights the predicament we face in the issue of water scarcity but also provides the necessary information and strategies to enable us to fight effectively for water protection at both national and global levels. In this persuasive and passionate declaration, the authors clearly state: We must become responsible guardians of the world's freshwater resources.