Entries by Nadya Ivanova

Draft Plan for Australia’s Murray-Darling Reignites Old Flames

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After the 20-week public consultations ended last week, three key basin states have rejected the proposed plan, and more than 60 Australian academics have slammed the document for neglecting to include climate change projections and for its lack of transparency.

The Stream, April 23: Water Rates in the United States

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Water rates will be slowly but steadily rising in the United States, and water utilities across the nation are likely to issue more debt to renew and expand their pipelines, Reuters reported, citing a panel of experts at a forum in Las Vegas. Water shortages could also become worse in the coming years, even in […]

Global Energy Demand Driving Australia’s Coal and Gas Export Boom

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International demand and new technologies push nation to the top for hydrocarbon exports. But massive production has also created worries over water.

The Stream, April 19: Australia’s Water Market

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New photos published on the Guardian reveal that early construction work for the controversial Belo Monte dam has already started in the Amazon, despite ongoing legal battles over environmental licenses. And there are already signs of deforestation. Australia’s water market has helped farmers and irrigators in the ailing Murray-Darling River Basin to weather drought and […]

The Stream, April 17: Iran’s $1.5 Billion Water Transfer Project

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Iran has launched a $US 1.5 billion project to divert water from the Caspian Sea to the country’s central desert, Associated Press reported. The project loosely reminds of China’s proposed Bohai pipeline to transport water from the Bohai Sea to dry areas in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang. Could a new method of waterless fracking — […]

The Stream, April 16: Droughts in China and the United States

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The Murray-Darling Draft Plan The Murray-Darling River Basin draft plan is likely to trigger another round of legal arguments over state water entitlements, according to Adelaide Now. The states of New South Wales and Victoria have rejected the plan — which recommends returning 2,750 gigaliters of water a year to the river system — arguing […]

The Stream, April 12: The Murray Darling River Basin Draft Plan

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As the consultation period for the draft plan on the Murray Darling River Basin draws to a close this week, a prominent Australian environmental expert said that the proposed plan is a step back from current arrangements. Why is the draft so controversial? Managing India’s water resources sustainably will be a top priority in the […]

The Stream, April 10: India Water Week

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Asia On the eve of India Water Week, The Wall Street Journal looks at India’s looming water crisis — from its rapid groundwater depletion to its chaotic water policy. In even more details, National Geographic explains how growing food demand is straining the energy and water supplies in India’s Gujarat State and globally. Crop losses […]

The Stream, April 9: Chilean Court Green-lights Patagonia Dam Project

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Patagonia Chile’s supreme court has rejected seven appeals filed against a project that plans to build five large dams in Patagonia, the Guardian reported. The controversial project could generate up to 20 percent of Chile’s electricity demand in 2020 but is opposed by green groups concerned about its potential environmental damage. Asia India and Pakistan […]

The Stream, April 5: What Is Causing the Water Crisis in Ghana and Nigeria?

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Policy & Accountability Pollution, political unrest and corruption are contributing to the chronic water shortages in Nigeria and Ghana. PBS Newshour followed two local journalists as they investigated the challenges of bringing clean drinking water in two of the biggest and richest countries in the region. Allegations by a former integrity officer at the U.S. […]

The Stream, April 3: Mega Water Projects in Asia

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India’s proposed mega project to link more than 30 rivers and divert waters from wet to dry areas has triggered worries in neighbouring countries, according to the BBC. Energy-hungry Nepal has approved the China Three Gorges Corp.’s controversial $US 1.6 billion hydropower project after the Chinese state-owned company threatened last month to withdraw its investment, […]

Chicago’s $7 Billion Plan to Fix Crumbling Infrastructure

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From expanding its largest airport to replacing century-old water pipes, Chicago introduces an ambitious construction plan that will be partly financed with public-private partnerships. Photo © J. Carl Ganter / Circle of Blue Lake Michigan meets Chicago’s famous skyline and sprawling metropolitan area. The city is embarking on a plan to transform its crumbling infrastructure. […]