New York University
School of Continuing and Professional Studies
M.S. Program in Global Affairs
GLOB1-GC.2525 -- Water: Politics, Sustainability, & Opportunities
Spring 2012, Monday, 6:30-9:10pm
DRAFT January 4, 2012
INSTRUCTOR: Chris Gadomski
http://www.smidirect.net/nyu
OFFICE HOURS: Mondays by appointment
OFFICE PHONE: 914.993.9060
Email: gadomski@nyu.edu
Course Calendar--Please check frequently as our schedule may change.
1. January 23--Introduction to global water issues, class objectives, and discussion of professor expectations of students, semester projects and course structure. Group discussion of student impressions of the Global Water Crisis. Assigned Reading: Pacific Institute, Climate Change and the Global Water Crisis: What Business Needs to Know and Do, Running Out of Water, Chapters 1-5.
2. January 30--Part 1: An assessment of the world's resources and threats to its sustainable use. A geographical analysis and discussion of the water-stressed areas of the globe. Formulate an opinion regarding Water and Climate Change and be prepared to discuss in class. Assigned Reading: Water Resources Issues in the ESCWA Region, National Geographic Magazine, Global Fresh Water, September 2002, Peter Rogers & Susan Leal, Running Out of Water, Chapters 6-Conclusion.
3. February 6--Fossil water: Fossil water or paleowater is groundwater that has remained sealed in an aquifer for a long period of time. Discussion: The similarities between fossil fuels and fossil water and where and why it is often not a renewable resource. Depleting the Borrego Acquifer. Assigned Reading: National Geographic Magazine, California's Pipe Dream, April 2010, Robert Glennon, Water Follies, Chapters 1-8.
4. February 13--Water and prosperity, the key to fostering economic development? Assigned Reading: Confronting South Africa’s water challenge, 2010, McKinsey Quarterly. National Geographic Magazine, Middle East Water, May 1993, Robert Glennon, Water Follies, Chapters 9-15.
February 20--Presidents Day--No classes scheduled.
5. February 27--Water and energy and industrial pollution…when the Cuyahoga River caught fire. Assigned Reading for Class: Heather Cooley, Julian Fulton, Peter Gleick, Water for Energy: Future Water Needs for Electricity in the Intermountain West.
6. March 5--Part 2-Technological solutions--how effective can they be? Harnessing rivers, dam/reservoir building. The future of glaciers and the impact on available fresh water resources. Reading assignment: Kaltenborn, B.P., Nellemann, C., Vistenes, High mountain glaciers and climate change – Challenges to human livelihoods and adaptations.
March 12-March 16--Spring Break, No classes scheduled.
7. March 19--Mid-term Date Tentative. The mid-term will be a take home exam in-lieu of class on this day. I will post the exam on the blackboard on March 5, and it is to be handed-in to me in class on March 26 as well as submitted via the assignment tool on Blackboard.
8. March 26--Water mitigation efforts: conservation and waste water management. Assigned Reading: Sick Water? The central role of wastewater management in sustainable development.
9. April 2--Desalination. Is this a technological fix? What does it cost? Assigned Reading: ESCWA Water Development Report 3, Role of Desalination in Addressing Water Scarcity, Fryer, James, An Investigation of the Marginal Cost of Seawater Desalination in California, National Geographic Magazine, Get the Salt Out, March 2010.
10. April 9--Water wars--will the scarcity of water lead to armed conflict? If so, where and why? Potential conflict along the Tigris and Euphrates. Will water remain a festering problem between Jordan and Israel. Water woes elsewhere in Africa. Assigned Reading: Alexander Carius, Geoffrey Dabelko, Aaron Wolf, Water Conflict and Cooperation, MENA Water Outlook to 2050.
11. April 16--Water wars continued. The business of water. If access to clean fresh water is an undeniable right of mankind, how will societies reconsile the privatization and commercialization of water. Reading assignment: Review contents of Use of Desalination and Renewable Energy to Close the Water Demand Gap in MENA, World Bank. Read and prepare to discuss Korsgaard and Schou, Economic valuation of aquatic ecosystems services in developing countries, Water Policy
12. April 23--First set of class presentations on group project. Assigned Reading: Briscoe, John, Next-generation water policy for business and government
13. April 30--Second set of class presentations on group project. Assigned Reading: TBD
14. May 7--Last class, Final project/exam due. Wrap-up!