White Paper: The State Of The Water Industry: Blood Of The Earth ... Store Of Economic Value

A Concise Review of Challenges and Opportunities in the World Water Market

Decades from now, it seems likely that historians will look back on the 2008-2009 timeframe as a turning point — with a global financial crisis the likes of which has not been seen in decades, a historic changing of the guard in American politics, and exploding interest in environmental and energy policies. Less dramatic perhaps, but likely to be just as significant over the longer term, is the growing recognition and appreciation of the critical role that water plays, not only in the functioning of industry, international politics, and the biological health of the planet, but also the value it can imply and create in the global financial infrastructure. As our financial system teeters near collapse, the significance of water in the world economy continues to grow. Water is not only a vital prerequisite of all life — the blood of the earth, as the ancient Chinese called it — but in various forms, it is also and increasingly recognized as a true store of economic value in troubled times.