The Economics of Water
All life on earth depends upon water. In this sense, it is not a typical economic good, and yet in order to distribute it we often think of it thus.
When thinking about water it is important to ask the question of how we look at water: is it an economic good at all? Can water be both an economic good and a human right? How does this change when looking at water in the context of a full world? Water may be a renewable resource, but what happens when the limits of its usage are reached?
In these pages you will find information about the global usage and commodification of water so to better help you when thinking about these questions
When thinking about water it is important to ask the question of how we look at water: is it an economic good at all? Can water be both an economic good and a human right? How does this change when looking at water in the context of a full world? Water may be a renewable resource, but what happens when the limits of its usage are reached?
In these pages you will find information about the global usage and commodification of water so to better help you when thinking about these questions
The Water Cycle
Water moves cyclically throughout the world, from surface water to the atmosphere and into the groundwater. Because of this, the amount of water globally available is fixed, but can theoretically be constantly recycled. However, because we cannot access water in all its forms a constant percentage of global water supply is not always available.
Global Water Supply
Even though we live on the "blue planet" not all of this water is accessible for human consumption.
97% of global water is in the oceans
The remaining 3% is freshwater, of this 2% is frozen in glaciers and the polar ice caps, and the remaining 1% is responsible for sustaining life on earth
This website was created for the Mount Holyoke College course ECON-203 Environmental Economics (spring 2013) taught by Professor Jens Christiansen.
The content of this page was authored by the following students: Hannah Khouri, Emily Eshleman, Emma Singer, and Mai Vu.
If you would like to contact one of the creators of this webpage, please email:
Emily Eshleman at [email protected]
The content of this page was authored by the following students: Hannah Khouri, Emily Eshleman, Emma Singer, and Mai Vu.
If you would like to contact one of the creators of this webpage, please email:
Emily Eshleman at [email protected]
