Chapter 2 Water: Water, Communities and Disasters: Inter-linkages

Abstract

Water is the source of life and civilization. However, the world is facing water crises – imminent and worse crises that demand immediate and concerted actions. Even today, around the world, nearly 1.1 billion people are living without access to safe drinking water (Shaw & Thaitakoo, 2010). This has adverse impacts on their health and livelihoods. Approximately 2.6 billion people live without access to basic sanitation. This is a threat to their dignity as well as health. Water pollution is getting worse in many places across the world. Moreover, water-related disasters are widespread. These are serious natural disasters that cause catastrophic damage to human lives. Water problems are fundamental causes of endemic diseases, hunger, gender inequality, lack of education and jobs, endangered ecosystems, and other socioeconomic and environmental problems across the world. Most of the Millennium Development Goals cannot be achieved without solving water problems (Hashimoto, 2006).

Citation

Shaw, R. (2012), "Chapter 2 Water: Water, Communities and Disasters: Inter-linkages", Shaw, R. and Tran, P. (Ed.) Environment Disaster Linkages (Community, Environment and Disaster Risk Management, Vol. 9), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 17-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2040-7262(2012)0000009008