GEF

Unit 1  |  Why Water Matters 25 Energy production is also extremely water-intensive. Generating electricity requires large amounts of water in order tomine and refine fuel, drive steam turbines, and cool power plants. Hydropower dams are responsible for sizable water loss through evaporation from reservoirs, and biomass energy requires a great deal of water to grow fuel crops. A cornerstone of water sustain- ability is accounting for and reducing these indirect uses. 1.4  The Global Water Crisis If the twentieth century was an age of water abundance, the twenty-first century is emerging as an era of increasing water scar- city, insecurity, and disparity in water wealth. Many experts have dubbed water the “new oil,” in reference to the growingmismatch between skyrocketing water demand and decreasing supply. Several factors are driving these trends. Population growth is continuing to put pressure on natural resources, and more people means more demands on water. The United Nations HYDROPOWER Energy produced using run- ning or falling water. BIOMASS ENERGY Renewable energy produced from organic materials.