Unless this changes, the world may be faced with another polarizing force to replace the Cold War.
Water plays a central role in assuring an adequate food supply.
Agriculture is the largest consumer of water, using an average of 80 percent of total water consumption in developing countries. As population swells and incomes grow, demand for water for residential and industrial purposes increases rapidly. With water becoming increasingly scarce and development of new sources of water becoming very costly for many already capital-short countries, more national conflicts are expected to arise, pitting industry, urban centers, and agriculture against each other. To solve these national water tensions, countries tend to look beyond their borders for wider reign over water basins they share with other countries. If poor water policies were changed, there might be enough water for agriculture and to fuel industry and urban centers of the future.