Foundations 19 – Infrastructure Space

“Water is the principle of all things. Everything is made of water, and everything returns to water.” This statement was made by the Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus over 2,500 years ago and it still holds true today. Water is a crucial resource. It shapes the global community in myriad ways. In his keynote speech Henk Ovink gave a current example of the influence of water: “The mismanagement of water is at the core of the Syrian conflict. It became a weapon of mass destruction.” One reason Henk Ovink deals intensively with water is his back- ground: He is Dutch, and where he comes from – between the Ems River, the North Sea, and the delta arms of the Scheldt – the people have cultivated a unique relationship with the water. A quarter of the Netherlands lies below sea level; the Dutch have used massive infrastructure to wrest space from the water. Although the Netherlands lives under constant threat of water, Henk Ovink also knows that water is precious. “Scientists and as- tronauts tell you that our planet is blue,” he notes. “That’s a lie.” Water coats the planet like a thin layer of paint, and only some of it is usable. According to Ovink, humankind will feel the effects of climate change mainly through water. Water is already responsible for about 90 percent of all global disasters. It is expected that by 2050 more than two billion people will be affected by catastrophic flooding and by 2080 1.8 billion will be affected by water shortages. Too much water can be as disastrous as too little. People will feel the impact of climate change mostly through water. « »

An increasing part of the world will be affected by water shortages.

The threat of water must be met with regionally appropriate solutions.

Low-lying areas of New York suffered the devastating impact of Hurricane Sandy.

Left: Water is part of the culture in the Netherlands – it can become so elsewhere too.

Sandy flooded New York and caused a blackout.

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