2/3rds of the planet is unpotable, unclean saltwater that is extremely difficult to desalinate and requires immense amounts of electricity, technology, and manpower to do on a scale to create fresh potable water. It isn’t economical or feasible to rely on desalination. Especially since barely any countries could actually afford to do it.
Further, agriculture as a whole relies on irrigation. What are countries going to do when rivers run dry and ground water has been drained? You can’t use saltwater, that will kill all your crops.
You need freshwater to grow staple crops such as wheat, corn, rice, potatoes, and other grain. No water, no food.
saltwater that is extremely difficult to desalinate and requires immense amounts of electricity, technology, and manpower to do on a scale to create fresh potable water.
Not really. Ships have their own desalination equipment. You’re confusing “extremely difficult” with “unprofitable”.
There are many island countries without fresh water sources that get their water from desalination.
ground water has been drained
Where is it going to go?
There are GMO versions of the other foods you listed that can grow on less water (if need be). Lack of irrigation has to do more with lack of political will, corruption, capitalism. “We’re running out of water” is a cop out. There’s plenty of water, it just needs to be treated. You drink treated water, we all do.
How many people are those island nations supporting through desalination? Do you really think that is anywhere near the same as creating enough water for ten of millions, hundreds of millions, or billions of people???
Further, island nations ration water to an extreme degree, and they also don’t need to support agriculture to massive scales like mainland farms in Russia, China, or the US do.
I never said desalination was impossible. I said it was extremely expensive and nigh impossible to scale to a degree that the world could use it. The vast majority of countries could not afford the resources required for that, or sustain it for long at all.
Also are you serious? Lack of political will? Most irrigation comes from rivers, like it has for thousands of years. Or farmers draw it from wells that draw ground water. Those well and rivers are running dry. Have you looked at any research related to this?
Also “you drink treated water”, yes… it’s still freshwater. The treatment is to remove sediment, bacteria, and other harmful elements. Guess where those water plants get there water? Rivers, lakes, and aquifers.
Do you really think that is anywhere near the same as creating enough water for ten of millions, hundreds of millions, or billions of people???
Yes.
Further, island nations ration water to an extreme degree,
No, they don’t. I used to live on an island that got all its water from desalination plants and there was no rationing.
and they also don’t need to support agriculture to massive scales like mainland farms in Russia, China, or the US do.
But US and China aren’t going to “run out of water”. Not every place with water sources is suitable for large-scale agriculture either.
I said it was extremely expensive and nigh impossible to scale to a degree that the world could use it. The vast majority of countries could not afford the resources required for that, or sustain it for long at all.
It’s very possible. Of course the majority of countries can afford it. It’s not space travel. I suggest you do some research into the topic, and if you are going to make grand claims like “vast majority of countries can’t afford it” you better have some facts and figures to back it up.
Those well and rivers are running dry. Have you looked at any research related to this?
Have you looked into research or sensationalist media articles? If water evaporates that means it is in the stratosphere and will come back down as rain. If a river “dries up” that means that water went somewhere else, probably deep underground.
2/3rds of the planet is unpotable, unclean saltwater that is extremely difficult to desalinate and requires immense amounts of electricity, technology, and manpower to do on a scale to create fresh potable water. It isn’t economical or feasible to rely on desalination. Especially since barely any countries could actually afford to do it.
Further, agriculture as a whole relies on irrigation. What are countries going to do when rivers run dry and ground water has been drained? You can’t use saltwater, that will kill all your crops.
You need freshwater to grow staple crops such as wheat, corn, rice, potatoes, and other grain. No water, no food.
There are many island countries without fresh water sources that get their water from desalination.
There are GMO versions of the other foods you listed that can grow on less water (if need be). Lack of irrigation has to do more with lack of political will, corruption, capitalism. “We’re running out of water” is a cop out. There’s plenty of water, it just needs to be treated. You drink treated water, we all do.
How many people are those island nations supporting through desalination? Do you really think that is anywhere near the same as creating enough water for ten of millions, hundreds of millions, or billions of people???
Further, island nations ration water to an extreme degree, and they also don’t need to support agriculture to massive scales like mainland farms in Russia, China, or the US do.
I never said desalination was impossible. I said it was extremely expensive and nigh impossible to scale to a degree that the world could use it. The vast majority of countries could not afford the resources required for that, or sustain it for long at all.
Also are you serious? Lack of political will? Most irrigation comes from rivers, like it has for thousands of years. Or farmers draw it from wells that draw ground water. Those well and rivers are running dry. Have you looked at any research related to this?
Also “you drink treated water”, yes… it’s still freshwater. The treatment is to remove sediment, bacteria, and other harmful elements. Guess where those water plants get there water? Rivers, lakes, and aquifers.
“Globally, more than 300 million people now get their water from desalination plants, from the U.S. Southwest to China.” https://e360.yale.edu/features/as-water-scarcity-increases-desalination-plants-are-on-the-rise
Yes.
No, they don’t. I used to live on an island that got all its water from desalination plants and there was no rationing.
But US and China aren’t going to “run out of water”. Not every place with water sources is suitable for large-scale agriculture either.
It’s very possible. Of course the majority of countries can afford it. It’s not space travel. I suggest you do some research into the topic, and if you are going to make grand claims like “vast majority of countries can’t afford it” you better have some facts and figures to back it up.
Have you looked into research or sensationalist media articles? If water evaporates that means it is in the stratosphere and will come back down as rain. If a river “dries up” that means that water went somewhere else, probably deep underground.