Nov. 17: "Freshwater and Foreign Policy"

A talk about environmental issues and the future of international relations by John Clark

When: Thursday 17 November 3:00-4:30 PM

Where: Glendale Mall OASIS 6101 North Keystone Ave Indianapolis

The concluding session of the series I am organizing for OASIS. Scarcity of water in many regions creates problems and conflict for large numbers of the world's population. What policies should be adopted to ensure water quality? What international actors or governments will make the greatest impact on improving water governance? For a sobering picture of where global crises are most likely to erupt, check out the BBC's "World's Water Hotspots." With the exception of Southern Australia and perhaps the Ogallala aquifer in the US, this map could be an accurate forecast of where international conflicts are raging 25 years from now. We know this, and yet somehow we keep marching ahead without changing our behavior. That's no surprise to those who have sprained their wrists reading Jared Diamond's essential book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Not every society facing ecological crises fails to change ... but a depressingly large number do indeed seem to "choose to fail."