Water

Jacket text for Water

Robin Griffiths and William Houston - the co-authors of Future Storm who in 2006 predicted the present political, economic, commodity and climatic turmoil - have turned their attention to one of the biggest challenges being faced across the globe today: Water.

Up to the turn of the century the world's population had grown with water abundant in most developing countries.

Then everything changed.

Ocean oscillations (which affect the weather patterns) have altered, leading to droughts in areas that were expecting rain, and flooding for those previously anticipating arid conditions. The result is that around a fifth of the world's population will receive much less rain
than expected.

What effect will this have?

- A third of arable land going out of production, reducing yields and increasing prices.

- A rise in seismic activity leading to more tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, which in turn cause climatic shifts.

- A large increase in refugees forced to seek shelter in other countries.

- Potential conflicts over water.

- An immediate need to reduce the amount of water currently allowed to run to waste.

- An urgent need to develop and invest in recycling, desalination and intelligent irrigation and new fuels, such as hydrogen and cold fusion.

The authors address all of these issues and propose solutions to the problems we are about to face, or are already grappling with.

This book sets out the power of water to enrich or destroy the lives of millions.

Chapter headings for Water

Introduction

1. The Cycles of Climate and Water
2. Water Circulation and use: Wisdom and Madness
3. The Coming Food Deficit
4. People and Climatic Shifts
5. The Coming Wave Of Refugees
6. Prospects for Conflicts and Peace in the Middle East
7. Potential For Conflict In The East
8. Water And Technology
9. Blue Gold

Afterword

About Robin Griffiths, William Houston

William Houston joined the Royal Navy at the end of the Second World War and specialised in weapons. After leaving the Service, he qualified as a Chartered Engineer and in administration before embarking on a career as a 'company doctor' - advising a large range of industrial and commercial concerns. There followed a period acting as industrial advisor to a City merchant bank. His first book Avoiding Adversity was published in 1989 warning businessmen of the coming recession, shortly to be followed by Meltdown and Riding the Business Cycle that warned of the growing disruption that would take place early in the next century. Robin Griffiths joined Phillips & Drew in 1966, having taken a degree in Economics at Nottingham University. He went on to be a partner at WI Carr, the first British stock broker to have offices in Hong Kong and Tokyo. Part of this firm was acquired by Grieveson Grant, with whom Robin enjoyed a stay in Japan. In 1986 Robin joined James Capel, which was already owned by HSBC. He stayed there until normal retirement age, and during that period travelled all over the world to meet their extended client base. For the last six years of that employment Robin was resident in New York. Having left HSBC Investment Bank in 2002, Robin then joined Rathbones as Head of Global Investment Strategy, where he stayed until 2008. He is currently the Technical Strategist for Cazenove Capital and manages the Worldwide Absolute Return hedge fund. Robin has been a regular on CNN, CNBC, Reuters and Bloomberg TV. He is a committee member and former chairman of the international Federation of Technical Analysts, and former chairman, now fellow, of the British Society of Technical Analysts. A keen sailor, Robin has crossed the Atlantic five times, setting a new British record in 1984 with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

More about Robin Griffiths, William Houston

Reviews for Water

"I award five stars to a treatise that explains with limpid clarity the danger we are all in from wasting and polluting our greatest and most fundamental resource – water. The authors set out simply their educated view of what the world is facing if it doesn’t prepare itself for the scarcity that is coming, even while they give us hope by explaining what can be done. If it was up to me, I’d make the leaders of every country read this alarming yet excellent book."
- Diana Norman