ENSS 250 Water and Human Rights
Nearly 663 million people in the world lack access to clean water. While many in the United States have seen access to safe water as a “developing world issue,” the water crises that were exposed in Flint, Michigan, Hoosick Falls, NY and numerous other communities in recent years have brought the issue more fully into Americans’ awareness. This course provides an opportunity to delve into questions related to humans’ need for clean water and the environmental, ethical, technical and political challenges this raises. Issues to be considered include understanding the water cycle and challenges to access to water posed by a changing environment; water as part of a broader international sustainable development agenda and local, national and international environmental justice work; the economics of water ownership and provision; international law and organization for human rights; and the roles of NGOs, governments and international organizations in this field.