Virtual Water Trade Amidst Climate Change in the Age of Globalization
India’s Dilemma
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9975838 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Kabindra Sharma (0000-0003-3113-6384, Sikkim University, Gangtok, Sikkim, India, corresponding author), Vimal Khawas (0000-0003-3336-943X, Jawaharlal Nehru University) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 61 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 267-288 |
| Publication date | 2024-07-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0020-8817 • E-ISSN: 0973-0702 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/00208817251353598 |
| OpenAlex | W4412989779 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 34 |
As the countries of the Global South embark on industrialization, those of the Global North are shifting out their manufacturing units, seeking cheap labour and raw materials while aiming to reduce carbon emissions and natural resource depletion. However, production and processing entail significant water consumption, leading to extensive virtual water trade (VWT). Studies reveal the negative impacts of exporting virtual water (VW) on national sustainability. With India exporting 26,000 million litres of VW between 2006 and 2016, it could be headed for a water scarcity within 300 years. This article examines VW trade using case studies from the Eastern Himalayas, focusing on its impact on local communities. The depletion of freshwater resources has been widely felt across the region, resulting in significant social and economic changes, with the situation further complicated by VWT. This article examines how the VWT market contributes to the disruption of water accessibility for indigenous communities and how their interests can be safeguarded in this context. Furthermore, the article discusses India’s dilemma as it strives towards its ambitious goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy. It raises important questions about how India can navigate the path of sustainable development while balancing economic growth with the urgent need to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C. The analysis suggests that without careful management, the pursuit of economic development could exacerbate the challenges faced by indigenous communities and further entrench inequities in global water distribution
Climate change · Development economics · Dilemma · Economics · Geography · Globalization · International trade · Political economy · Political science · Virtual water · Water scarcity · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Geology · Law · Oceanography · Philosophy · Water Governance and Infrastructure · Water-Energy-Food Nexus Studies
Contours of the World Economy, 1–2030 AD
Macro‐scale water scarcity requires micro‐scale approaches
The water footprint of humanity
Water scarcity assessments in the past, present, and future
Land Degradation and Society
The physical economy of the European Union
Input–output analysis of virtual water transfers
Climate change perception, vulnerability, and readiness
Scientists and climate governance
Environmental and resource footprints in a global context
Globalisation of water resources
Political ecology and the Foucault effect
Political Ecology
| Highly cited | No |
|---|