Water in a Changing World: Scarcity, Science, and Solutions

Water scarcity is one of the defining challenges of the 21st century. From droughts to groundwater overdraft to urban water shortages and conflicts over transboundary rivers and aquifers, people around the world are confronting rising pressure from limited water resources. This course will introduce students to the science of global water systems alongside the governance mechanisms and technologies that determine how water is managed and used. Students will examine major water challenges across the United States and internationally, such as the Colorado River Basin, California’s groundwater overdraft crisis, Cape Town’s “Day Zero” situation, and other case studies. Through policy simulations, historical narratives, ethics, and analyzing climate impacts on water, students will explore why water shortages occur and how cooperation, policy, and science can help address them. Working in teams, students will propose a solution to a real-world water conflict or scarcity issue, developing analytical tools to think critically about environmental governance across the world. By the end of the course, students will understand the scientific and political forces that make the world’s freshwater both contested and essential.