Should Canada share its freshwater with people in the developing world Research Paper

Should Canada share its freshwater with people in the developing world who do not have access to safe and clean freshwater - Research Paper Example It is an essential input for industries, hydropower generation, agricultural activities, subsistence or commercial agriculture and other significant purposes. These activities are the core livelihood of human well-being because they contribute to employment and national economic activities. However, access to safe and clean freshwater has become a global health issue and many nations, especially the developing economies, have been profoundly impacted by water scarcity. The WHO reveals that more than 3,900 children die annually because of waterborne infections (Miller & Spoolman, 2012). The developing nations are being impacted heavily by water related issues, and many families lack access to safe and clean freshwater. Almost half of the population in the developing nations lacks access to safe and clean freshwater because of natural phenomena such as climatic changes due to globalization, rainfall patterns and human factors including high population growth and pollution, thus threate ning sustainable water resources. Reasons Why Canada Should Share Its Freshwater With People in the Developing World The increased demand for freshwater, increased population growth, overexploitation of natural resources and climatic changes are worsening the state of freshwater resources, hence the need for Canadians to share their freshwater with people in the developing nations. First, Canada should share freshwater with the developing nations because there is an increased demand for water sources in the developing world. This results from the high population growth rate in developing nations and overdependence on agricultural activities. Miller (2007) asserts that supplying freshwater for irrigation and drinking is one way of sustaining the earth. This is because many people in the developing nations depend heavily on agricultural activities as their backbone for economic growth. However, many of them are unable to achieve sustainability because of increased poverty levels, whic h is linked with water scarcity. Many of them undergo severe famine because of prolonged drought and water related diseases. Therefore, distribution of safe and clean water will reduce over-competition on scarce water resources and exploitation of water resources, hence achievement of sustainable development. Moreover, the increased population growth rate contributes to an increased demand for water; thus, there is the need for Canadian government to supply adequate fresh water to the developing world. The world report on population reveals that many developing nations have the highest population rate and this contributes to associated problems such as competition for the available scarce resources, encroaching on the water resources areas such as wetlands and forested areas (Bundschuh & Hoinkis, 2012). Wetlands and forests play significant functions in maintaining natural resources, but overpopulation, pollution and competition for natural resources threaten the sustainability of s uch natural resources. Therefore, it is the role of Canadian government to work with other international policy makers to contribute to the global agenda of managing water resources and distributing quality water (Canada, 2005). They will provide access to technology and offer effective training programs in the key development areas of water resource management. This will benefit the developing nations, thus enabling them to access quality water and achieving