I think if it becomes that dire, we'll see a huge leap the push for cheap desalination technology. We're already making some strides in that direction, so hopefully there will be a breakthrough before it becomes a pressing global issue warranting war

I think that is only a supplement. Sure, at first it will bring things back for a while but we will procreate to the point where we will be a drought away from a crisis. As far as regional conflicts, those are happening right now. It might be a few decades until a global conflict occurs (at least I hope it won't happen that quickly).

well since educated people tend to have less children, maybe schooling is the answer :p

Indubitably. :3

I have watched multiple documentaries pertaining to the subject, and it does seem very likely that the next wars will be due to this. As you stated, this should not be a surprise by now. We have brought this on ourselves with our wasteful habits and lifestyles.

Yeah, I do not understand why people refuse to see the obvious that is right in front of them.

I'm just excited for when we hit peak oil in about five years.

And by excited I mean scared out of my god-damned fucking mind.

Well you can do what I do. Pretend you Russia and America and think of every place you'd nuke when the shit starts flying and the last one on you list of places to nuke should be the first one you would move to. You know, something like Madagascar....if there one port isn't shut down.

Someone sneezed!

Ah! Somebody got the reference X3 That made my night, thank you .

It IS of no surprise, considering the growing population coupled with greater industrial pollution and agriculture in the developing world, fresh water is rarer than gold in parts of the globe. Desalination of water from the oceans has gotten greater attention, but the expense to do so has often turned the noses of various governments to fund such projects.

Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink

I don't really see why seawater can't just be distilled. Maybe this is just too much of a non-issue for me, but I'm more concerned if the world turns into another "Waterworld." Well, I'm gunna go fall asleep in the shower, be back in an hour.

It's expensive, you know how money clouds reason :p

I can see how a massive distiller could be expensive, but the resources used to make it are very basic.

I guess we'll see if altruism wins out win the end...

Yeah but who the hell they gonna invade? Egypt? Southern Russia? India? Those are the only places that I can think of nearby with a remotely large supply of water? And can you image the pipe line something like that would take. Something tells me Iraq and Iran just don't have the money for a project like that right now. I would be amazed if this water shortage in particular actually started a war. My bets a lot more on a mass famine.

There is a very clear solution here, which makes little money for those interested in profits, thus a solution will never be sought after.

I hear Australia is having problems around fresh water too...

It is an issue that has been predicted for years, yet somehow never became "popular". It is happening almost everywhere, since groundwater supplies replenish at a very slow rate, far less than what we extract from it.

The only option I'd see is coupling solar power with desalination plants. It is expensive, sure, but the nations where the issue is most pressing coincidently also have a lot of sun.

I've told people that fresh water quantities should be one of the biggest concerns for us, but nobody believed me.

those people probably think you can drink sea water :p