Triangle of Environment, Water and Energy: A Sociological Appraisal

Abstract

Modern sociology has a special look at the three associated variables of environment, water and energy. The three variables are not in a harmonial state in many parts of the globe. Some have access to two, or not sufficient to one. Only a few countries are in an equilibrium state of the three. For example, many African countries are in short fall of water and energy. What sociologists suggest is to bring about resources enough as far as the three parts are concerned. In the past, the threefold relationship was less considered and measured, but currently with the heavy weight of population over 7.8 billion world over (WPDS, 2020), balance between the three is inevitable. While population all over the world has increased considerably, water resources have not increased in the same way. Moreover, in the past, population dependency on energy was not that much. But, in the industrial age of today, man is highly in need of energy of different types to maintain life. However, waste and wastewater have become problematic in current age and in most parts of the world. The emerging situation is polluting environment, seas and water streams. It is more observable in less developed world than the developed world. Therefore, the water and energy crisis is wide and ongoing. It is discussed elaborately in the present article. However, national security could be accessible only if water-energy policies are there (Bauer et el. 2014). Introduction The threefold relationship of environment, water and energy is very important from a sociological point of view. Although in the past these three variables were less considered, and their relationship with each other has been less measured, at the same time, following the comprehensive development of modern societies, the tripartite relationship of these variables is inevitable today. To have a healthy environment, enough water resources and enough energy, you must always invest in it. While energy is highly dependent on water, the supply and transfer of water, and the disposal and transfer of wastewater also require energy. Therefore, water and energy, while being necessary for each other, also ensure the health and safety of individuals. Existence of lakes, dams and other similar sources generate energy through and with the power of these elements. At the same time, energy itself transports water resources from one region to another. It also happens with the energy power of the waste disposal system or system. Otherwise, the health of individuals and the health of society in general will face irreparable risks. In the past, when such facilities were less available, many health problems arose that eventually led to an increase in mortality. Therefore, in order to have a healthy environment, providing water and energy resources is very vital and inevitable. Likewise, drinking water itself needs energy for purification and purification operations, and re-pumping to consumers. This means that any interaction regarding the sanitation of water, its purification, its displacement, etc., is itself highly dependent on energy. These conditions ultimately lead to greater well-being, health and security. While developed societies have more or less achieved these possibilities over the last century or so, non-industrial societies have recently been able to implement such schemes; That is, a strategy that leads to better health for them. Where there is a shortage of clean drinking water, and water has to be transported over long distances, having energy is extremely important. Countries generally do not have the same amount of water resources for different uses. As a result, in many cases they have to move water from long distances to other places. This kind of movement requires sufficient and sustainable energy, and this makes agricultural exploitation, agricultural prosperity, access to more resources and products, and the like, more practical and achievable. One of the most significant challenges in this regard is within African countries; That is, areas that are generally short of energy, and the aforementioned losses have made it impossible for such communities to make good use of their potential resources (agricultural land); As a result, poverty and scarcity are widespread in such societies. Method of ResearchMethodology used in the present article is of qualitative type. In that, various paradigms have been used to find out about the facts regarding pandemics during the history. Qualitative research usually studies people, events or areas in their natural settings. In finding facts for the research, the researcher engaged in careful data collection and thoughtful analysis of what was relevant. In the documentary research applied for the present research, printed and written materials were widely regarded. The research was performed as a qualitative library-type in which the researcher had to refer to the relevant and related sources. In the current research, various documents were thoroughly investigated, and the needful inferences were made. The data fed by the investigator in the present article is hopefully reliable. Though literature on pandemics is very limited, yet the author tried to investigate many different resources in order to elicit the necessary information to build up the text. Energy and waterMany of the problems of the society will be reduced if all the people of a society have adequate access to energy and water. It means the safety of water for drinking and sanitary consumption (UNDP: 2015). Access to water and energy also greatly contributes to improving the quality of life. At the same time, access to these resources greatly contributes to the health of the environment, its preservation and maintenance. Today, many less developed communities face increasing population, population density, and mass migration to urban areas. They face water and energy constraints. This has caused the environment to be directly and indirectly affected, and in a negative way. Overpopulation in urban areas, on the one hand, and water scarcity, on the other, put many green space resources at risk of extinction. Therefore, urban environmental planners must always adjust and consider the relocation and resettlement of the population in accordance with water and energy resources. This statement can be applied to all human societies, and it means that energy and water are inseparable. For example, energy is inevitably needed to cool biofuels (hydropower) or water-based power plants, and so on, to access water sources or safe water. In other words, to transfer water from one area to another, or to pump water for change or desalination, we need sufficient and appropriate energy. Therefore, countries should always pay enough attention to these two sources in their planning path. However, many traditional water sources such as springs, aqueducts and the like are being destroyed in many communities. Likewise, following the general warming of the earth, water scarcity is felt more than ever in different communities. On the other hand, following the consumption of more and more population, the need for water directly and indirectly is always increasing. Given this scenario, environmental planners must always take new practical measures to meet the growing needs of their citizens. From a sociological point of view, basic human needs cannot be met without energy and water. That is, it provided food for the growing population, and sustained economic growth. Many societies today need more food, even than in previous years. In other words, more per capita should be considered for them in terms of food, services, agricultural resources and the like. This means that as the quality of life improves, so does the expectation of consumption. In such circumstances, the community in question needs more water resources. While many societies are in such a situation. Future consumption needs are less predictable. Rising prices for food and consumables around the world in recent years are evidence of this claim. That is, many societies around the world over the past decades have not paid attention to the current years (decades) of the 21st century. At the same time (today) (1.3 billion) 1.3 billion people in the world do not have access to electricity, and about 800 million people get their water from unhealthy sources. These conditions lead to many diseases, health problems, personal and social threats and other deprivations. Therefore, considering the natural trend of population growth, which is generally 2% per year or more in developing countries, the forecast and increase of water and energy resources is of crucial importance. As noted, nearly one-seventh of the world's population is now forced to use polluted water resources, which threatens the health of current and even future generations. Therefore, environmental sociologists must always measure and predict population growth index and water resources index together. Many African countries today are in such a situation. That is, a situation whose unhealthy conditions can be transferred to other communities. It's about the same billion people suffering from poverty, hunger and deprivation, and over the next thirty years the demand for food and energy will increase at an unprecedented rate. However, a high proportion of the population, or in other words one-seventh of the world's population, faces food deprivation. While by 2050 the world population will increase from the current 7.2 billion (2013) to more than 9.2 billion, during this time the expectations of individuals, their way of life and the different needs of citizens in different societies will also increase. . These conditions will further exacerbate food and energy problems. Therefore, social planners should distribute their urban and rural population in proportion to their water and energy resources. If more population pressure is applied to urban areas, it will put additional pressure on w