Ac version 3 Observation 1: sq 4

Water Scarcity Advantage

1AC Water Scarcity Scenario

First, Latin American water scarcity is coming to a head now – climate change, urbanization, lack of infrastructure, untreated waste water

World Bank 13 – (“World Water Day: Latin America leads in water management but inequalities in access remain”, World Bank, 3/22/13, http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/03/22/world-water-day-latin-america-achievements-challenges)//BD

A water-rich region, Latin America is home to nearly 31% of the world’s freshwater resources, but it also has large arid and semi-arid areas with recurring droughts common from Mexico to Chile. Water scarcity is expected to increase in several areas due to climate change, including in the Andes, where the melting glaciers will have a great effect on the water supply.¶ The full impact of these changes is still unknown, but experts agree that changes in water supply will be one of the first, and most dramatic, effects.¶ Consequently, preventing the region’s poorest and most vulnerable populations from falling back into poverty will need a regional yearly investment. Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez, World Bank Regional Director for Sustainable Development, estimates that climate change adapting measures have a cost of US$15 billion to US$20 billion a year for Latin America and the Caribbean.¶ “The poorest are most affected by droughts and floods, they are the least able to organize themselves against such occurrences, and have little access to financial tools, such as savings and insurance," Ijjasz explained.¶ Access to water services is still highly unequal. Rapid urbanization in the region means water and sanitation services have been heavily weighted towards the urban populations, to the detriment of interior, rural communities. But despite enormous progress over the past 20 years, 30 million Latin Americans are still without access to safe drinking water..¶ Consequently, a key challenge for many Latin American countries is to further improve the way this scarce resource is managed. Infrastructure, such as storage and distribution systems, needs to be put into place, along with ways to allocate water across sectors to enable economic growth to be maintained in an environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive manner.¶ While the region has already met the Millennium Development Goal target for water, rural sanitation is lagging behind. Currently, 100 million people still lack access to any sanitation, with rural access at just 60%. Additionally, only 20% of waste water in Latin America is treated, leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal areas, which not only exposes the resident population to toxins and disease but also causes billions to be lost in potential tourism and real estate revenues.

And, a HISTORIC water crisis is coming – Mexico will be unable to fulfill their treaty obligations, causing a diplomatic and relations disaster

Brezosky 3/9

(“Water shortage in Valley again fuels tensions with Mexico,” pg online @ http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/environment/article/Water-shortage-in-Valley-again-fuels-tensions-4342747.php //um-ef)

Rio Grande Valley irrigation manager Jo Jo White remembers clearly how ugly things got about a decade ago, when drought left Mexico without the water it needed to supply what it owed the U.S. under a 1944 treaty. Fields on the U.S. side went dry. Angry farmers staged a “tractor-cade” at an international bridge. Local leaders put pressure on congressmen. Congressmen put pressure on the State Department. At its most severe, Mexico's water debt accumulated to 1.5 million acre-feet, or enough water to flood 1.5 million acres a foot deep. Abundant rains starting in 2003 did what months of diplomacy could not: refill Rio Grande reservoirs, providing Mexico with the water it needed to make good on its debt. The story of the Rio Grande is one of drought followed by deluge — and White and others predicted the Mexican water debt would return as soon as things dried out. Going into the spring, the situation appears worse than ever, and this time cities are at risk. Farmers already are running out of water, and since irrigation water “carries” municipal water through the Valley's vast system of irrigation canals, 13 cities and two municipal suppliers have gotten letters warning that their water may soon run out. “In view of current drought conditions, this letter is to advise you of the possibility that the District may run out of irrigation water allocation within the next 60 days,” White wrote in a letter to six cities in the Hidalgo and Cameron Counties Irrigation District No. 9. “We rely on irrigation water to maintain our delivery system and (keep) canals charged so as to convey your domestic, municipal and/or industrial water. In essence, (municipalities') water 'rides' on top of irrigation water.” Valley officials such as Leonardo Olivarez, city manager for Weslaco, are in crisis mode. They're attending emergency meetings with state officials, searching for water to buy and ways to pay for it, and seeing if they can tap old, brackish wells. “There have been droughts before, but in terms of us running out of the ag water to transport our supply, I don't recollect that ever being an issue,” he said. “We have some identified options, but we're not there yet.... Basically, there's a team effort going on down here, but we really do need Mexico to release their water. Please send us water. Agua, por favor, agua hoy (Water, please, water today).” Donna farmer Jimmie Steidinger, who has been growing citrus, sugar cane, and grain on his property for 50 years, is leaving much of his land unplanted and letting many of his trees wither. “Out of 500 acres, I've got water for about 120 acres,” he said. “It's going to affect everybody down here. Every farmer and grower is going to be hurt by this thing.” During the last water shortage, Mexican officials said they simply didn't have any water to spare. Ricardo Alday, spokesman for the Mexican Embassy in Washington, declined comment for this report. Texans only can hope their counterparts will find a way to share precious supplies this time around. Back to crisis mode To White, it's turning into a replay of the last crisis over Mexico's water debt. Under the 1944 treaty, the U.S. and Mexico share water from both the Colorado River and Rio Grande. But the treaty was written in a different era, and it so far hasn't held up against the needs of northern Mexico's rapidly expanding agricultural sector. “We're just starting the dry season, and our supplies are down to nothing,” White said. “It's a very, very serious situation. And what adds another drama to all this is if we run out of irrigation water, we lose our ability to get the water to the cities.” The situation didn't turn dire overnight. Historic flooding in 2010 filled Falcon Lake reservoir to record levels. But both 2011 and 2012 were dryer than anyone anticipated, and water that farmers thought would be delivered from Mexican tributaries didn't arrive. State water officials have been down for meetings to help municipalities find and purchase water to “push” their supplies. Options so far include re-digging old wells and teaming with farmers and other cities to purchase push water from areas with surplus water rights, though surpluses are getting harder to find. The city of Raymondville, for example, uses about 2 acre-feet of water a day. But that water has to travel 52 miles, Rio Grande Regional Water Authority Director Joe Barrera said. “They have to push 500 acre-feet 52 miles for Raymondville to take 2 acre-feet out of it,” he said. The easiest solution would be getting Mexico to release enough water to catch up on annual payments of about 350,000 acre-feet. By that measure, Mexico now is behind by about 410,000 acre-feet, which is enough to meet the municipal needs of the Valley, with a population of 1.1 million, for two years. State, local, and federal representatives are meeting with State Department officials Monday, hoping to force the issue. Five-year cycles But the treaty works in five-year cycles, not one-year cycles, said Sally Spener, spokeswoman for the U.S. side of the International Boundary and Water Commission, which oversees the water agreements. So Mexico technically is not in arrears. Since the current cycle started Oct. 25, 2010, Mexico has until Oct. 24, 2015, to complete delivery of a minimum annual average of 350,000 acre-feet, for a total of about 1.75 million acre-feet. “The treaty was specially crafted that way because the Rio Grande system was studied before the treaty provisions were agreed to, and it was noted it was a highly variable system,” Spener said. Mexican reservoirs are low, too — down to about 39 percent on average, she said. The commission and U.S. and Mexican governments, she added, are working on the issue. “It is not in the interest of the United States or Mexico for the deficit to continue to grow, and so we are proactively working together to address the needs to ensure treaty compliance,” Spener said. “And I think it's important to note that we're doing this halfway through the cycle, because we see we're halfway through with a deficit and we want to make sure that this issue is addressed early.” State Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D-San Benito, is confirmed for the State Department meeting, as are U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville. “The way water works is big rains, big storms, have bailed them out sometimes in the past and, we don't anticipate a lot of wet weather coming our way,” Lucio said. “Our segment, the U.S. side, has tried to be very good and courteous to Mexico in their times of need, and on 16 different occasions has delivered water to Mexico upon their request. I have yet in my office research been able to see where that has been reciprocated.” Last spring, a U.S. delivery of water to Mexico upset officials with the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality, who said it would cause substantial U.S. losses. Vela said Mexico has a moral obligation to release more water. “Standing idly by while South Texas continues to suffer is no way to treat a neighbor,” he said. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, weighed in with a March 4 letter urging IBWC Commissioner Edward Drusina do his part to “resolve the immediate threat of water shortages for Texas users.” “Despite the concerted efforts by Texas officials to communicate with the IBWC and work toward a solution to address the growing water deficit, nothing has been resolved,” he wrote. In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Cornyn hinted at tougher tactics. “There are enough carrots and sticks available to the United States government to encourage Mexico to live up to its responsibilities, and I hope they are skillfully applied,” he said.

And, that collapses cooperation, causes U.S. backlash and sparks resource wars and refugee crisis

Homer-Dixon 98

(Thomas, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of the Peace and Conflict Studies Programme – University of Toronto, World Security Challenges for a New Century, p. 342-343)

Another possibility is that global environmental damage might increase the gap between rich and poor societies, with the poor then violently confronting the rich for a fairer share of the world’s wealth. Severe conflict may also arise from frustration with countries that do not go along with agreements to protect the global environment, or that “free-ride” by letting other countries absorb the costs of environmental protection. Warmer temperatures could lead to contention over more easily harvested resources in the Antarctic. Bulging populations and land stress may produce waves of environmental refugees, spilling across borders and disrupting relations among ethnic groups. Countries might fight among themselves because of dwindling supplies of water and the effects of upstream pollution.6 A sharp decline in food crop production and grazing land could lead to conflict between nomadic tribes and sedentary farmers. Environmental change could in time cause a slow deepening of poverty in poor countries, which might open bitter divisions between classes and ethnic groups, corrode democratic institutions, and spawn revolutions and insurgencies. In general, many experts have the sense that environmental problems will “ratchet up” the level of stress within states and the international community, increasing the likelihood of many different kinds of conflict—from war and rebellion to trade disputes—and undermining possibilities for cooperation.

And, independently these water shortages causes extinction

Marlow 01 (Maude, Spring) National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians and IFG Committee on the Globalization of Water. “BLUE GOLD: The Global Water Crisis and the Commodification of the World's Water Supply,” http://www.ratical.org/co-globalize/BlueGold.pdf.

Perhaps the most devastating analysis of the global water crisis comes from hydrological engineer Michal Kravèík and his team of scientists at the Slovakia non-governmental organization (NGO) People and Water. Kravèík, who has a distinguished career with the Slovak Academy of Sciences, has studied the effect of urbanization, industrial agriculture, deforestation, dam construction, and infrastructure and paving on water systems in Slovakia and surrounding countries and has come up with an alarming finding. Destroying water's natural habitat not only creates a supply crisis for people and animals, it also dramatically diminishes the amount of available fresh water on the planet. Kravèík describes the hydrologic cycle of a drop of water. It must first evaporate from a plant, earth surface, swamp, river, lake or the sea, then fall back down to earth as precipitation. If the drop of water falls back onto a forest, lake, blade of grass, meadow or field, it cooperates with nature to return to the hydrologic cycle. "Right of domicile of a drop is one of the basic rights, a more serious right than human rights," says Kravèík. However, if the earth's surface is paved over, denuded of forests and meadows, and drained of natural springs and creeks, the drop will not form part of river basins and continental watersheds, where it is needed by people and animals, but head out to sea, where it will be stored. It is like rain falling onto a huge roof, or umbrella; everything underneath stays dry and the water runs off to the perimeter. The consequent reduction in continental water basins results in reduced water evaporation from the earth's surface, and becomes a net loss, while the seas begin to rise. In Slovakia, the scientists found, for every 1 percent of roofing, paving, car parks and highways constructed, water supplies decrease in volume by more than 100 billion meters per year. Kravèík issues a dire warning about the growing number of what he calls the earth's "hot stains"—places already drained of water. The "drying out" of the earth will cause massive global warming, with the attendant extremes in weather: drought, decreased protection from the atmosphere, increased solar radiation, decreased biodiversity, melting of the polar icecaps, submersion of vast territories, massive continental desertification and, eventually, "global collapse."

And, Mexico Nano is key – they have the resources, the technology base and are a CRITICAL global model for water treatment and desal tech

Nanoforumeula 2k13

(NanoforumEULA is a project funded by the European Commission as a part of the

Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development., “Sector Diagnosis of Nanotechnology in Mexico,” pg online @ http://www.utwente.nl/mesaplus/nanoforumeula/nanotechnology%20in%20Mexico/nanoforumeula_sector_diagnosis.pdf //um-ef)

4. COMPETITIVE AREAS OF MEXICO IN NANOTECHNOLOGY The most important advantages for investing and making nanoscience in Mexico are the availability of natural resources and human resources. There are some groups within the country that are internationally competitive, and there are other groups that are potentially competitive. However, these groups need to interact with each other and form a network to really achieve a real competitive advantage. The availability of minerals, such as silver, makes it very feasible to have applications of silver nanoparticles as bactericides, for example. Human resources, and in particular, students, have a good preparation, and should be encouraged to collaborate in other countries to gain more experience and knowledge. The demographic growth in Latin America and in particular in Mexico, opens the a big market for housing. Improving the quality of materials (thermally efficient concrete, UV absorber coatings and paints, water filters, etc) is one big market in Mexico that could also be applied worldwide. The research and study of low cost- efficient housing could be a big opportunity for European enterprises. Latin American and Mexican geographic orientation is especially favorable for using renewable energies such as solar cells and wind-powered energy. Seeking more efficient clean sources of energies is of global interest, and a collaborative research could lead to a solution to this problem. Latin America and Mexico hold a great part of the fresh water resources in the world. It is clear that research on the treatment of water for removing pollutants could be of great impact in both Europe and Mexico-Latin America. Assuring the supply of fresh water to the world is a matter of interest to both Europe and LA. In this region of the world there are sources of rare earth metals and elements that could be exploited if applications can be found. The design of new materials with these elements for applications could impact local economies, while giving competitive advantages to European industries. The biological diversity in Mexico and most Latin American countries is a big source of opportunities for biomimetic materials. The study of endemic organisms could inspire new materials based on nature mechanisms. 5. DISADVANTAGES AND WEAKENESS OF RESEARCH IN MEXICO Despite of the efforts, mostly from institutes in the north of the country, the Mexican academic community is mostly too far from the industrial needs. There is an imperative necessity of completing the cycle in which the research community uses its knowledge to develop products with applied added value, to promote industrial development and to boost spin off companies to finally have commercial products that can have some impact in the society. Another weakness of Mexican nanotechnology community is the lack of cohesion and of a global national research plan, and eventually a global EULatin American initiative. Most institutes are working in similar problems but without communication with the rest of country. The creation of National networks has been proposed. The mobility of students to make a more efficient use of the infrastructure was also a recurrent issue that should be solved. In this point, the EU community could collaborate with students’ mobility for using state-of-the art equipment. Global issues such as toxicology of nanomaterials and the social and ethical impact of nanotechnology are of interest for researchers in both Mexico and the EU. Some specific research topics were found to be of global interest, such as energy (nanostructured solar and fuel cells), biosensors, water treatment, etc. 6. SPECIFIC INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIONS During the fact finding mission (FFM) carried out in Mexico, as part of the NANOFORUM EULA project, visiting four Mexican States and with the participation of a colleague from Argentina, a colleague from Brazil and five European experts we could identify the following topics as possible Specific International Cooperation Actions (SICAS): 1.- Nanotechnology for sustainable low-cost housing: construction materials based on nanotechnology. Scope/content: Throughout the world there is a high demand for low cost housing, and new materials based on nanotechnology can help to alleviate this problem building houses cheaper, in less time and according to the special needs imposed by weather conditions, water resources, electricity distribution, etc. The development of nanostructured composites with polymer, ceramic, cement and metal matrices is crucial to this proposal. Funding Scheme: Collaborative projects. Expected Impact: Support the EU and LAcountries to a new concept of low-cost housing, more environmentally friendly and according to the special needs, depending on the region. Another by product of this project is the development of housing for disaster areas such as earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floodings, tornados, etc., 2.- Research capabilities of renewable energy sources of EU and LA. Scope/content: Join forces to study and to develop sources of energy in LA and EU countries which do not depend on solid fuels. The use of solid fuels is having global consequences in the weather change, air pollution, atmospheric pollution, etc, Therefore, a joint effort is needed to investigate the following sources of energy in which new materials will certainly have an important impact: solar cells with more efficiency, wind energy, sea energy, hydrogen fuel cells, electric engines, etc. Mexico is demanding electricity for rural areas which can be alleviated through efficient solar cells. LA and EU countries have contact with the sea, so the use of wind and sea energy looks viable in these areas. Funding Scheme:Collaborative projects Expected Impact: Based on nanostructured materials, develop new sources of energy which can substitute solid fuels in EU and LA. This action will benefit rural and coastal areas as well as polluted cities in both regions of the world. 3.- Remote operation and share of infrastructure remotely in nanotechnology: increasing mobility of students and researchers. Scope/content: Infrastructure to characterize nanomaterials is very expensive and several LA countries lack of it, so there is an increase in needs to use expensive infrastructure for research and for educational purposes. In order to provide access to this infrastructure it is important to develop mobility strategies for researchers and graduate students of LA ountries to Europe. Funding Scheme: Networks of Excellence. Expected Impact: Strengthen the knowledge and access to expensive characterization tools in nanotechnology. Catalyze collaborations among EU and LA. Train graduate students with better tools. Having educated people in different expensive techniques will make easier to justify the acquisition of expensive equipment in LA countries and break the vicious circle of infrastructure. 4.- Water treatment using nanotechnology at rural and industrial levels: Scope/Content: Potable water demands in the world are increasing not only for human consumption, but for industrial purposes. In several Latin American countries lack of water sanitation is a health problem. Nanotechnology can provide options for clean and cheap water treatments using nanoporous materials as molecular filters. Also, the removal of heavy metals from water can be achieved using nanostructures. In addition, water desalination can be achieved via membranes with nanoparticles. Funding Scheme: Collaborative projects Expected impact: The design of new porous nanomaterials as molecular sieves for cleaning water is a promising area of research which can benefit millions of people around the world. In LA countries and rural European areas, water treatment and water purification is imperative. At the industrial level, the removal of heavy metals form water is a task that should be carried out, in particular, when the legislation in some LA countries is not very strict. In addition, EU countries are facing this problem in the fish industry, mining, etc. In coastal areas desalination of water is one of the main problems that need to be solved. 5.- Adding value to metals and rare earth elements in LA by searching new applications of these materials at the nanostructured level. Scope/Content: LA countries are first producers of metals: Three LA countries are among the first ten silver producers (Peru, Mexico and Chile), the same happens with bismuth and cooper. In addition, there are rare earth elements that might have important applications in nanotechnological devices, for electronics, optical fibers, magnetic devices, etc. Therefore, it is becoming important from both regions to find new applications to elements that have a potential added value. For example, nanostructured silver could be used as a strong bactericide. Funding Scheme: Collaborative project. Expected Impact: Increasing the added value of materials that are produced in bulk by LA countries finding new nanotechnological applications benefits both regions (Europe and Latin America). Having the raw material is not enough, it is important to develop new applications for these materials at the nanoscale to commercialize new products and thus, create a synergic effect in which universities and industries of both parts are involved. 6.- Study of the risk assessment and socio-economic impacts of Nanotechnology. Scope/Content: Nanotechnolgy not only is going to have an impact in research areas and industries, but also in society, so it is important to study these possible effects by organizing multidisciplinary conferences in which EU and LA researchers get together to discuss the impact of nanotechnology in the everyday life of people in different communities at different levels of development. Funding Scheme: Coordination and Support Actions Expected Impact: Society deserves to be informed about nanotechnological applications; risks and benefits. There will be differences in legislation between the EU and LA countries, however at the global level both, societies need to have the same information and also legislators need to be informed about risks and benefits. Scientists form different backgrounds from different regions need to get together to discuss these issues. 7.- Molecular tectonics and biomimetic nanostructured materials . Scope/Content: biological systems produce inorganic materials which have amazing properties and the human understanding of these is scarce. The best strategy to mimic nature is to study it at the atomic and molecular level, therefore, nanosciences and nanotechnology plays a key role in this understanding. The organic diversity of LA countries is undeniable, though there are research groups in these countries working on biomimetic and molecular tectonics, the EU countries have more facilities which might help a collaboration in this issue. The understanding the role of specific proteins in the production of nanocrystals in plants, can help to understand the formation of kidney stones in humans for example. Copying what bone cells do to produce bone can be useful for bone transplants. Sea shells possess are very strong, can we copy these material at the atomic level? Funding Scheme: Collaborative project Expected Impact: Copying nature at the atomic level cannot only help to solve health problems, but also to understand a new way to build new materials or tp produce already known materials via other synthesis routes which are more ecologically friendly. The role of organic molecule in the production of new nanostructures is important for self assembly processes. 8.- Toxicology of nanomaterials. Scope/content: Funding Scheme: Collaborative project Expected Impact: 9.- Metrology and standards for nanomaterials Scope/content: Funding Scheme: Collaborative project Expected Impact: These ideas were the result of workshops and round tables, and were further analyzed and developed. However, more ideas were expressed during the activities, and a full listing can be found in Appendix. 7. EUROPEAN AND LATIN AMERICAN VISITORS EVALUATION The overall impression of the European experts with respect to the situation of the research on nanoscience and nanotechnology in Mexico is that there are, in general good quality research centers. However there is no industry-academy relationship. There is a lack of interest or lack of money from the industry to invest in the development of new materials, and produce added value products, for achieving real competitiveness worldwide. In addition, there is not enough support and information for researchers to file patents and/or become entrepreneurs. However, there is a good amount of awareness of the problems of the society in the academic community. There is also an increasing support from the Ministry of Economy (Secretaria de Economía), which could boost the development of nanotechnology in Mexico. The unique resources and the needs in Mexico, makes it a suitable place for becoming highly competitive in the development and research of nanoscience and nanotechnology for water treatment, construction materials and housing, and oil related processes. The specific recommendations for the development of Mexican science related to nanotechnology are: a) to establish an articulated national network; b) to have a national initiative or plan in terms of nanoscience and nanotechnology, and c) to encourage students mobility throughout Mexico and to the EU.