Water Conflict and Cooperation in Central Asia

human development, water, sanitation

Seeing the Global Forest for the Trees: How U.S. Federalism Can Coexist With Global Goverance of Forests

Both international forest and climate negotiations have failed to produce a legally binding treaty that addresses forest management activities - either comprehensively or more narrowly through carbon capture - due, in part, to lack of US leadership. Though US cooperation is crucial for facilitating both forest and climate negotiations, the role of federalism in constraining these trends has been given scant attention. We argue that, as embodied in the US Constitution, federalism complicates the US’s role in creating any legally binding treaty that directly regulates land uses (e.g. forest management). Because federalism reserves primary land use regulatory authority for state governments, voluntary, market-based mechanisms, like REDD and forest certification, should be included within any binding treaty aimed at forest management, in order to facilitate US participation

Fluoride Exposure from Groundwater as Reflected by Urinary Fluoride and Children’s Dental Fluorosis in the Main Ethiopian Rift Valley

This cross-sectional study explores the relationships between children’s F− exposure from drinking groundwater and urinary F− concentrations, combined with dental fluorosis (DF) in the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) Valley. We examined the DF prevalence and severity among 491 children (10 to 15 This cross-sectional study explores the relationships between children’s F− exposure from drinking groundwater and urinary F− concentrations, combined with dental fluorosis (DF) in the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) Valley. We examined the DF prevalence and severity among 491 children (10 to 15 years old) who are lifelong residents of 33 rural communities in which groundwater concentrations of F− cover a wide range. A subset of 156 children was selected for urinary F− measurements. Our results showed that the mean F− concentrations in groundwater were 8.5 ± 4.1 mg/L (range: 1.1–18 mg/L), while those in urine were 12.1 ± 7.3 mg/L (range: 1.1–39.8 mg/L). The prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe DF in children’s teeth was 17%, 29%, and 45%, respectively, and the majority (90%; n = 140) of the children had urinary F− concentrations above 3 mg/L. Below this level most of the teeth showed mild forms of DF. The exposure-response relationship between F− and DF was positive and nonlinear, with DF severity tending to level off above a F− threshold of ~6 mg/L, most likely due to the fact that at ~6 mg/L the enamel is damaged as much as it can be clinically observed in most children. We also observed differential prevalence (and severity) of DF and urinary concentration across children exposed to similar F− concentrations in water, which highlights the importance of individual-specific factors in addition to the F− levels in drinking water. Finally, we investigated urinary F− in children from communities where defluoridation remediation was taking place. The lower F− concentration measured in urine of this population demonstrates the capacity of the urinary F−method as an effective monitoring and evaluation tool for assessing the outcome of successful F− mitigation strategy in a relatively short time (months) in areas affected with severe fluorosis

The Effect of Non-fluoride Factors on Risk of Dental Fluorosis: Evidence from Rural Populations of the Main Ethiopian Rift

Elevated level of fluoride (F−) in drinking water is a well-recognized risk factor of dental fluorosis (DF). While considering optimization of region-specific standards for F−, it is reasonable, however, to consider how local diet, water sourcing practices, and non-F− elements in water may be related to health outcomes. In this study, we hypothesized that non-F− elements in groundwater and lifestyle and demographic characteristics may be independent predictors or modifiers of the effects of F− on teeth. Dental examinations were conducted among 1094 inhabitants from 399 randomly selected households of 20 rural communities of the Ziway-Shala lake basin of the Main Ethiopian Rift. DF severity was evaluated using the Thylstrup-Fejerskov Index (TFI). Household surveys were performed and water samples were collected from community water sources. To consider interrelations between the teeth within individual (in terms of DF severity) and between F− and non-F− elements in groundwater, the statistical methods of regression analysis, mixed models, and principal component analysis were used. About 90% of study participants consumed water from wells with F− levels above the WHO recommended standard of 1.5 mg/l. More than 62% of the study population had DF. F− levels were a major factor associated with DF. Age, sex, and milk consumption (both cow’s and breastfed) were also statistically significantly (p \u3c 0.05) associated with DF severity; these associations appear both independently and as modifiers of those identified between F− concentration and DF severity. Among 35 examined elements in groundwater, Ca, Al, Cu, and Rb were found to be significantly correlated with dental health outcomes among the residents exposed to water with excessive F− concentrations. Quantitative estimates obtained in our study can be used to explore new water treatment strategies, water safety and quality regulations, and lifestyle recommendations which may be more appropriate for this highly populated region

Whither Extractive Resource Nationalization? (Winter 2021/2022)

In this issue’s featured roundtable article, Erika Weinthal reviews Paasha Mahdavi’s book Power Grab: Political Survival through Extractive Resource Nationalization and considers how society, climate change, and conflict affected countries fit into the discussion.LBJ School of Public Affair