This document discusses water scarcity issues in three locations: 1) Israel has increased its water security through conservation efforts and expanding desalination capacity. However, desalination is energy intensive and could increase Israel's short-term energy dependence unless domestic energy sources are developed. 2) South Africa faces challenges of aging water infrastructure, stresses on its power sector, and increasing demand outstripping its water supply. 3) Spain's water resources are threatened by climate change and increasing stresses. It is encouraging future water efficiencies.

1. Global
Water Scarcity
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

2. Global
Water Scarcity
PART I: ISRAEL 5
Naturally Occurring Water 6
Expanding Sources of Water:
Conservation and Desalination 7
Outlook 8
PART II: SOUTH AFRICA 9
The Cost of Aging Infrastructure 10
Stresses on the Power Sector 10
Demand Consumes Water Supply 11
PART III: SPAIN 13
Spain’s Water Resources 14
Changing Climate
and Increasing Stress 15
Encouraging Future Efficiencies 15
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3. 5STRATFOR •
PART I
ISRAEL
I
srael’s successful efforts to increase water security
will lessen one of the country’s geographical con-
straints. But new sources of water are more energy
intensive, which could increase Israel’s short-term
dependence on energy imports unless domestic energy
sources are successfully developed.
While Israel enjoys relative national security compared
to its neighbors, which are struggling with internal
fragmentation, this will probably change eventually.
Because concerted military efforts have been required
in the past to secure water resources, Israel has had a
strong incentive to develop technological solutions
to improve water security. Additional domestic water
resources — including increasing desalination capacity
and continued efforts to recycle water — allow Israel
to mitigate one of its inherent geographic constraints.
Israel has substantially increased its capacity to desalinize
water over the last decade. The arid country of roughly 8
million already has five large desalination plants, includ-
ing the Sorek plant, which came online in 2013, and the
Ashdod plant, a long-planned project that was recently
commissioned in December 2015. Israel has plans to
increase total desalination capacity through 2020 such
The view above the Golan Heights, where the Jordan River meets the Sea of Galilee. (YUVAL NADEL/Getty Images)
Research Note: This new water scarcity assessment evaluates threats to the security of water resources around the
world, relying on 20 years of Stratfor’s collective experience in providing geopolitical intelligence. Curated by our
Research Analytics Department, it brings our report up to 2016, taking into account the latest developments.