IN DEFENSE OF THE RATIONAL USE OF WATER, A SOURCE OF LIFE, ON WORLD WATER DAY

Fernando Alcoforado*

This article aims to highlight the importance of water for life on planet Earth, present how water emerged on our planet and demonstrate the lack of rationality in the use of water for its various purposes on planet Earth. World Water Day, March 22, a date created by the UN, serves to remind us that preserving water is crucial for life on the planet as we know it.  Everyone knows that water is the source of life. Water is an essential natural resource, whether as a biochemical component of living beings, as a means of life for various plant and animal species and as a production factor for various final and intermediate consumer goods. Water is a primordial source of life for all plants and is also very important for the lives of animals, as they depend on it for breathing, digestion and reproduction, as well as for humans. There is no doubt that water is the most important asset for the existence of life on planet Earth. We all know the importance of water for maintaining our bodies.

Water is everywhere on Earth – in clouds, in rain, in the oceans, in rivers and even in our own bodies – and we can easily find it in any of its liquid, solid or gaseous states. More than two thirds of the human body is made up of water, our brain is made up of 75% water, blood is made up of 81% and lungs are almost 90%. It is estimated that, on average, the human body can survive weeks without food, but most people only stay alive for 2 to 4 days without water. The fact is that about 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, which is why we call Earth the blue planet. Many people ask how water appeared on Earth? The original source of water on Earth has been a long-standing mystery. Scientists from different areas of knowledge – physics, chemistry, biology, geophysics, astronomy, among others – have been seeking to answer that question for decades.

Research carried out by the São Paulo State University (Unesp), Guaratinguetá campus, in collaboration with the Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR) and the Astrobiology Institute of the North American space agency (NASA), developed a computerized model to determine the origin of the water and life on Earth [1]. This research was carried out within the scope of the research project “Orbital dynamics of small objects”, supported by FAPESP (São Paulo State Research Support Foundation). The model was described in an article published in The Astrophysical Journal, of the American Astronomical Society, and presented on 02/24/2014 at the UK-Brazil-Chile Frontiers of Science. The hypotheses studied considered that water on planet Earth would have originated from comets, asteroids and the solar nebula that collided with Earth. According to this new model, computer simulations indicated that comets contributed, at most, 30% of the amount of water on planet Earth. Asteroids contributed more than 50% and a small portion was contribution of the solar nebula, with 20% participation [1].

These considered hypotheses were based on the fact that most astronomers believe that asteroids and comets collided with our early planet and brought water to Earth. These hypotheses suggest that these space rocks (asteroids and comets) carried the minerals and frozen water that form them into interplanetary space, until they collided with the Earth and deposited their contents on our surface. The other hypothesis is that the action of the solar wind (flow of charged particles emanating from the Sun) created water on the surface of tiny dust grains and these small amounts of water were probably the seeds of future chains, providing the rest of the Earth’s water.

Regarding the contribution of the solar nebula, it is important to note that silicate grains (dust) from the solar nebula (a cloud of gas and dust in the cosmos directly related to the origin of the Solar System) would have encapsulated water molecules during the initial stage of formation of the Solar System. This hypothesis, when hydrogen ions strike an atmosphere less surface, such as an asteroid or a speck of dust in space, they penetrate a few tens of nanometers below the surface of that grain, where they can affect the chemical composition of the rock. Over time, hydrogen ions can eject enough oxygen atoms from materials in the rock to create H2O, water. The solar wind-derived water produced by the early Solar System is isotopically light and indicates that grains of fine dust, buffeted by solar particles and entrained into the forming Earth billions of years ago may have been the source of the planet’s water [2].

Around 97.5% of the water on our planet is present in the oceans and seas, in the form of salt water, that is, unfit for human consumption and that of most other living beings. Of the remaining 2.5%, which makes up the total existing freshwater, 2/3 is stored in glaciers and polar ice caps. Approximately 0.77% of all water is available for our consumption, being found in the form of rivers, lakes, groundwater, including water present in the soil, atmosphere (humidity) and biota [1]. Worldwide, there is a widespread view that water is an inexhaustible resource. This is, however, a huge mistake because water resources, although renewable, are limited. It is important to highlight that, of all available fresh water, 70% of fresh water is used in irrigation, 22% in industry and only 8% for domestic use [3].

Around 800 million people do not have access to drinking water around the world, 2.5 billion people do not have basic sanitation and, between 3 billion and 4 billion people, which corresponds to half of the world’s population, do not have access to water on a permanent basis using water of questionable quality every day and 11% of the world’s population still shares water with animals in riverbeds. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), seven people die every minute in the world from drinking rotten water and more than 1 billion people still defecate in the open. The OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) reports that global water demand will increase by 55% by 2050. The forecast is that this year, 2.3 billion additional people – more than 40% of the world’s population – will not have access to water if adequate measures are not adopted [3].

Humanity currently uses 50% of the planet’s fresh water. In 40 years, humanity will use 80%. The geographic distribution of freshwater is uneven. Currently 1/3 of the world’s population lives in regions where it is scarce. The use of unsafe water is responsible for 60% of the world’s sick people. Half of the world’s rivers are contaminated by sewage, pesticides and industrial waste. UN report on water use confirms that, without measures against waste and in favor of sustainable consumption, access to drinking water and sanitation will be further reduced. UNICEF reports that every 15 seconds, a child dies from diseases related to the lack of drinking water, sanitation and hygiene conditions in the world. Every year, 3.5 million people die in the world due to problems related to inadequate water supply, lack of sanitation and the absence of hygiene policies, according to representatives of 28 United Nations organizations, which are part of UN-Water. In the Report on the Development of Water Resources, a document that UN-Water publishes every three years, researchers highlight that almost 10% of diseases recorded around the world could be avoided if governments invested more in access to water, hygiene and basic sanitation [4].

Diarrheal diseases could be practically eliminated if this effort were made, especially in developing countries. This type of disease, generally related to drinking contaminated water, kills 1.5 million people annually. Several factors influence the occurrence of diarrhea, such as the availability of drinking water, food poisoning, inadequate hygiene and cleaning of water tanks [5]. Although the amount of water available in the world is constant, the demand, however, is growing, due to the increase in population and agricultural production, generating a climate of uncertainty and the possibility of internal conflicts occurring in several countries and also international conflicts. The OECD states that conflicts normally occur within the same country, as the population has different needs in relation to the use of water (for agriculture or consumption, for example) and this generates disputes [3].

Water is becoming a source of war due to international competition for water resources. Many countries build large dams diverting water from natural river drainage systems to the detriment of others. The main water conflicts in the world today involve Israel, Jordan and Palestine over the Jordan River, Turkey and Syria over the Euphrates River, China and India over the Brahmaputra River, Botswana, Angola and Namibia over the Okavango River, Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan and Egypt over the River Nile and Bangladesh and India over the Ganges River. On the American continent, the conflict between the United States and Mexico over water from the Colorado River has intensified in recent years [6].

Report released by the United Nations on 03/20/2015 informs that, if nothing is done, the world’s water reserves could reduce by 40% by 2030, also pointing out that 748 million people on the planet will not have access to sources of drinking water. According to the document, 20% of the world’s aquifers are already excessively exploited, which can generate serious consequences such as soil erosion and the invasion of salt water in these reservoirs. Scientists also predict that by 2050, agriculture and the food industry will need to increase their demand for water by 400% to increase production. UN report released on 3/22/2023 shows that planet Earth is at imminent risk of water scarcity. In the report, the UN warns that water scarcity is becoming an endemic problem, due to three factors – pollution, excessive demand and, of course, climate change. Scientists say that 3.5 billion people – that’s almost half the global population – already face water-stressed conditions during part of the year. At least 2 billion people do not have access to drinking water and up to 3.6 billion people do not have minimum basic sanitation conditions. The report also makes a projection: in cities, the number of people who will face water shortages could reach 2.5 billion by 2050 – almost double compared to data from 2016. Those responsible for the study state that only effective management and water care can guarantee resources in the future [7].

Based on the above, the situation described regarding water in the world tends to worsen given the deficiency and irrationality in government policies relating to the protection of the natural environment, including springs and watercourses and the poor management of basic sanitation in numerous countries around the world. Furthermore, international conflicts over the use of water will not be properly resolved because there is no international body with sufficient authority to enable their solution. The UN would need to be restructured to become a world government to solve this problem. Conflicts over water tend to worsen even more with desertification intensified by climate change resulting from global warming, which is currently worsening throughout the world. Furthermore, on a daily basis, rivers, streams, beds and aquifers are contaminated by poorly treated sewage systems, the use of pesticides on crops and the disposal of toxic waste from industries. Therefore, we have nothing to celebrate on World Water Day.

REFERENCES

1. LEAL, Marcelo Domingos. Origem da Água na Terra. Available on the website <https://www.parquedaciencia.pr.gov.br/Noticia/Origem-da-Agua-na-Terra>, 2014.
2. OLIVEIRA, Nicolas. Como a água surgiu na Terra? Available on the website https://www.tecmundo.com.br/ciencia/253443-agua-surgiu-terra.htm, 2022.
3. VOCÊSABIA? Escassez de água na Terra vai gerar conflitos. Available on the website <https://www.vocesabia.net/saude/escassez-de-agua-na-terra-vai-gerar-conflitos/>, 2012.
4. AGÊNCIA BRASIL. Falta saneamento básico para 2 bilhões de pessoas no mundo, diz ONU. Available on the website <https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/geral/noticia/2019-03/falta-saneamento-basico-para-2-bilhoes-de-pessoas-no-mundo-diz-onu>, 2009.
5. FOLHA MUNDO. Falta de água de qualidade mata uma criança a cada 15 segundos no mundo, revela Unicef. Available on the website <https://www.folha1.com.br/_conteudo/2013/03/mundo/647971-falta-de-agua-de-qualidade-mata-uma-crianca-a-cada-15-segundos-no-mundo-revela-unicef.html>, 2013.
6. ALCOFORADO, Fernando. Água e seus gigantescos problemas mundiais. Available on the website <https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/%C3%A1gua-e-seus-gigantescos-problemas-mundiais-fernando-alcoforado/?originalSubdomain=pt>, 2019.
7. G1.GLOBO. Planeta está sob risco iminente de escassez de água, diz ONU. Available on the website <https://g1.globo.com/bom-dia-brasil/noticia/2023/03/22/planeta-esta-sob-risco-iminente-de-escassez-de-agua-diz-onu.ghtml>).

* Fernando Alcoforado, awarded the medal of Engineering Merit of the CONFEA / CREA System, member of the Bahia Academy of Education, of the SBPC- Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science and of IPB- Polytechnic Institute of Bahia, engineer from the UFBA Polytechnic School and doctor in Territorial Planning and Regional Development from the University of Barcelona, college professor (Engineering, Economy and Administration) and consultant in the areas of strategic planning, business planning, regional planning, urban planning and energy systems, was Advisor to the Vice President of Engineering and Technology at LIGHT S.A. Electric power distribution company from Rio de Janeiro, Strategic Planning Coordinator of CEPED- Bahia Research and Development Center, Undersecretary of Energy of the State of Bahia, Secretary of Planning of Salvador, is the author of the books Globalização (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 1997), De Collor a FHC- O Brasil e a Nova (Des)ordem Mundial (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 1998), Um Projeto para o Brasil (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 2000), Os condicionantes do desenvolvimento do Estado da Bahia (Tese de doutorado. Universidade de Barcelona,http://www.tesisenred.net/handle/10803/1944, 2003), Globalização e Desenvolvimento (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 2006), Bahia- Desenvolvimento do Século XVI ao Século XX e Objetivos Estratégicos na Era Contemporânea (EGBA, Salvador, 2008), The Necessary Conditions of the Economic and Social Development- The Case of the State of Bahia (VDM Verlag Dr. Müller Aktiengesellschaft & Co. KG, Saarbrücken, Germany, 2010), Aquecimento Global e Catástrofe Planetária (Viena- Editora e Gráfica, Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, 2010), Amazônia Sustentável- Para o progresso do Brasil e combate ao aquecimento global (Viena- Editora e Gráfica, Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, 2011), Os Fatores Condicionantes do Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2012), Energia no Mundo e no Brasil- Energia e Mudança Climática Catastrófica no Século XXI (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2015), As Grandes Revoluções Científicas, Econômicas e Sociais que Mudaram o Mundo (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2016), A Invenção de um novo Brasil (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2017),  Esquerda x Direita e a sua convergência (Associação Baiana de Imprensa, Salvador, 2018), Como inventar o futuro para mudar o mundo (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2019), A humanidade ameaçada e as estratégias para sua sobrevivência (Editora Dialética, São Paulo, 2021), A escalada da ciência e da tecnologia e sua contribuição ao progresso e à sobrevivência da humanidade (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2022), a chapter in the book Flood Handbook (CRC Press,  Boca Raton, Florida United States, 2022), How to protect human beings from threats to their existence and avoid the extinction of humanity (Generis Publishing, Europe, Republic of Moldova, Chișinău, 2023) and A revolução da educação necessária ao Brasil na era contemporânea (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2023).