Population, water, food, energy, economy and dams

Abstract

With global population projections indicating continued growth during this century (especially in the developing and least developed countries), socio-economic problems (e.g., water, food, and energy shortages) will be most likely to occur, especially if proper planning, development, and management strategies (e.g., dam construction) are not adopted. Then, should the construction of large dams continue? This question has raised an enormous amount of controversy in recent years, in terms of both socio-economic development and environmental sustainability. This presentation addresses this question through a study of some key global socio-economic data (i.e., population, water, food, and energy consumption, and economic expansion) and the vital role of large dams in sustaining societies. Construction of large dams has essentially been the result of population growth and the associated consequence of increased water, food and energy consumption; moreover, construction of additional large dams will be considered as one of the best available options to meet future increases in water, food, and energy demands, and to promote further economic development. With comprehensive consideration of current situation of global water scarcity, this study also addresses the question, where should/will the future dams be located through considering a variety of factors, e.g., population growth, water availability, topographic conditions and economic conditions.