Is Resource Scarcity a Course of Violent Conflicts - Essay Example

Resource abundance is found to also contribute to potential violent conflicts. In argument, higher competition for access and control over a resource arises when the resource is in plenty (Bannon and Paul 23). Dinar’s statement is true. The earth’s surface dries up each new dawn, as a result of increased urbanization, industrial farming, and deforestation. The persistence of such trends will cause depletion of water in the river basins. The available amount of fresh water on the surface of the earth constitutes less than one-half of 1% of all the water.

The freshwater is only renewable through rainfall. Increased cases of deforestation and such factors are likely to cause failure in obtaining adequate freshwater that is renewed yearly at the rate of 40,000 to 50,000 cubic kilometers. Consequently, the end result will be wars about freshwater (Gleick 48). The worldview of our policymakers makes a difference in deciding whether to engage in conflict over natural resources. Policymaking entails national, regional, and international importance. As such, policymakers make a significant difference, when they make critical decisions.

Negotiation, a constituent factor of the policymaking process, involves setting agendas, establishing vital issues, and finding solutions to the issues. This helps ensure that the policies pre-arranged, are kept constant (Carden 34).