Global Water Crisis

Undergraduate

Examination of the threats to global freshwater resources due to projected human population growth to 2050 and the potential impacts of this growth on water quantity and water quality. Application of the concept of the water, food, energy nexus to demonstrate how water consumption and virtual water transport through international trade of food and energy impact water availability and contribute to water stress to humans and to freshwater ecosystems. The course also examines interactions between water availability, climate change, water pollution, and trends in global consumer demands to address questions about the sustainability of our freshwater resources in the coming decades. (Prerequisite: ESCI-1100 or consent of instructor.) (3 lecture hours per week.)