Humanity uses a little less than half the water available worldwide. Yet
occurrences of shortages and droughts (干旱) are causing famine and distress in
some areas, and industrial and agricultural by-products are polluting water
supplies. Since the worlds population is expected to double in the next 50
years, many experts think we are on the edge of a widespread water
crisis. But that doesn't have to be the outcome. Water
shortages do not have to trouble the world—if we start valuing water more than
we have in the past. Just as we began to appreciate petroleum more after the
1970s oil crises, today we must start looking at water from a fresh economic
perspective. We can no longer afford to consider water a virtually free resource
of which we can use as much as we like in any way we want.
Instead, for all uses except the domestic demand of the poor, governments should
price water to reflect its actual value. This means charging a fee for the water
itself as well as for the supply costs. Governments should also
protect this resource by providing water in more economically and
environmentally sound ways. For example, often the cheapest way to provide
irrigation (灌溉) water in the dry tropics is through small-scale projects, such
as gathering rainfall in depressions (凹地) and pumping it to nearby
cropland. No matter what steps governments take to provide
water more efficiently, they must change their institutional and legal
approaches to water use. Rather than spread control among hundreds or even
thousands of local and regional agencies that watch various aspects of water
use, countries should set up central authorities to coordinate water
policy.
单选题
What is the real cause of the potential water crisis?
A.Only half of the worlds water can be used.
B.The world population is increasing faster and faster.
C.Half of the worlds water resources have been seriously polluted.
D.Humanity has not placed sufficient value on water resources.