Environmental Science
The Commodification of Water and Global Water Rights
Quick fact
Although water covers 70% of Earth's surface, only 2.5% is fresh, and less than 1% is easily accessible. Water scarcity already affects more than 40% of the global population, and the UN recognizes the human right to water—yet a single investor can buy rights to vast water reserves and trade them on commodities markets.
Why this is interesting
When you turn on a tap, you expect clean water to flow—but for billions, water is a scarce resource bought and sold on markets. Could charging for water actually help preserve it, or does it turn a basic right into a privilege?