It’s not often a story on water makes the UK headlines, aside from hosepipe bans and the ‘drought’ in the south of England. But on Friday morning, the BBC Science Reporter, Matt McGrath, popped up on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme with news that Africa is sitting on vast groundwater reserves.
The planet is under pressure – a whole conference is devoted to the topic this week. Global growth is under pressure - full debt deleveraging has not yet taken place in Europe, and every day brings new evidence of a growth slowdown in China and India.
The Ides of March has come and gone, with the promise – not a prophecy – of ‘water and sanitation for all’, at least partially fulfilled. But, I argue, the Roman reference is still relevant for this World Water Day, as we look to the role of politics and relations of power in determining levels of access to sanitation and water.
