The Stream, May 2: Energy Peak

Surprisingly to some, carbon emissions and energy in the United States and China will peak and stabilize in the 2030s after which they will increase much less, according to a new study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Read more details here.

South Africa said it would conduct a comprehensive feasibility study of hydraulic fracking before it decides on the shale gas applications in its Karoo region, Reuters reports.

Food
Soaring food prices are hitting Africa’s urban population harder now than during the 2008 spike in food indexes, and are threatening the social and political stability on the continent, a World Bank official warned. Global food prices are up 36 percent compared to their levels a year ago.

Asian Carp
Scientists plan to test water cannons in an effort to prevent Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Chicago and the State of Illinois have already installed electrical barriers to stop the invasive species from moving closer to the Great Lakes.

Australia’s Water Market
Although Australia’s water market is growing steadily, there are still barriers that restrict trade, according to the latest water monitoring report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the country’s consumer watchdog.

Water and Civilization
This essay in The Wall Street Journal argues that control over water management is history’s key to power.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.