Water : a looming crisis? : international conference on world water resources at the beginning of the 21st century (UNESCO, Paris, 3-6 June 1998) : proceedings

This volume in the series Technical Documents in Hydrology contains unedited technical papers submitted to the International Conference on Water: A Looming Crisis? held within the framework of the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO. It addresses the many issues for concern brought about by the decrease in the quantity and quality of the world's water resources and its availability to meet the needs of future economic and social development. In assessing the state of knowledge on water resources of the world (including both qualitative and quantitative aspects) Section A assesses world water resources at the beginning of the twenty-first century, by discussing renewable water resources, water use and availability, the effects of global warming on water resources, snow and ice resources, and the impact of global water resources on health, food and environment. Section B contains papers on the main themes of the conference. These themes are: data and improvement of water resources assessment, water quality and environmental impact, impact of human activity on water resources, the extremes of water resources and their management, and economic and social aspects of water resources. An addendum outlines water conservation techniques and approaches, and discusses socio-economic and management aspects of the demand for potable water in sub-Saharan Africa.