Prof. Dr. Yusuf Demir, a faculty member of the Department of Agricultural Structures and Irrigation at the Faculty of Agriculture, Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU), delivered a lecture titled 'The Importance of Water and What It Tells Us' to academics and students.
During the conference held at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences Conference Hall, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Demir stated, "We live with seriously limited water resources. Türkiye has long been described as a water-rich country, but we are not; we are on the brink of water scarcity. We have 112 billion cubic meters of water. Our population is officially 85 million and unofficially 95 million. It amounts to about 1,200 to 1,300 cubic meters per person when divided. A country needs 8,000 cubic meters of water per person to be considered water-rich. In fact, when we look at certain regions of Türkiye, we see some areas entering water scarcity. The crisis is growing globally. Currently, 2.4 billion people in the world lack access to clean water. One billion people must live on 2 liters of water per day."
Typically, the water you spend when washing your hands with water is 3.5 liters. If we turn this faucet into a sensor faucet, we consume 1.2 liters. In other words, we save about 2 liters of water while washing hands. Currently, 1 billion people worldwide must meet all their daily needs with the water we save while washing hands. However, a person should drink 2.5 - 3 liters of water daily. The water they have access to is not of the quality we know. Therefore, there is a severe crisis. We can say that the water crisis has paved the way for water wars in the world. According to figures published by UNESCO, if this continues, in the next 20 years, between 750 million and 1 billion people may have to leave their countries. One billion people might have to change continents. Such a danger awaits the world. Today, two concepts have developed: carbon footprint and water footprint. The water used by 85 million people in homes and industry in 1.5 years is wasted in agriculture. Water brings energy wherever it goes. It takes 80 calories of energy for one drop or one liter of water to turn into ice. Likewise, it releases 600 calories of energy to turn 1 liter of water into steam. This energy transformation creates a global climate, cooling, warming, and all balances. It forms the basic principle of our home air conditioners and refrigerators."
Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Prof. Dr. Ebül Muhsin Doğan, commented, "Water forms one of the most important parts of our lives. It goes beyond meeting our daily basic needs and is the raw material of many products we use. Therefore, humanity has always been in resource wars for the past centuries. If you look at the wars of past years, even though there are other reasons in front, these wars are essentially resource wars."
At the end of the conference, Prof. Dr. Ebül Muhsin Doğan presented Prof. Dr. Yusuf Demir with a gift and a tree certificate.
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