Water: Resource or instrument of power?

By GAIA Redaktion 10 August 2026

Who will decide about our water in future

Dr. Peter F. Mayer, tkp.at

A recent article by Dr. Peter F. Mayer on TKP therefore turns the spotlight on a question that could become considerably more important in future: who controls access to water – and according to which rules?

The author takes a critical look at the growing political and economic preoccupation with water scarcity, water management and the so-called “blue economy”. Among other things, he addresses public-private partnerships, water prices, digital metering, restrictions on groundwater and the growing importance of large infrastructure projects and data centres.

Particularly interesting is the distinction between water withdrawal and actual water consumption. Especially in data centres and industrial applications, closed-loop systems and alternative cooling methods can make a considerable difference. The original article therefore calls above all for more transparency about how much water is actually consumed, where it comes from and who gets priority access in times of scarcity.

Regardless of whether one follows the author’s far-reaching conclusions, the article thus touches on a core issue of self-sufficiency and freedom: the more existential a resource is, the more important decentralised structures, comprehensible decision-making processes and the possibility of reducing dependencies become.

Oil shaped the geopolitics of the 20th century because industrial economies depended on it. Water will shape the coming era because civilisation cannot exist without water at any price.

Martin Armstrong, quoted in the TKP article by Dr. Peter F. Mayer

tkp.at original article (German)

Conclusion Water means independence

Water is a foundation of every form of self-sufficiency. The more decentralised, transparent and regional its supply is organised, the smaller the dependencies become. For GAIA this means:

Those who understand, protect and, as far as possible, help shape their elementary foundations of life gain independence and freedom.

The blog for science & politics

The full article by Dr. Peter F. Mayer appeared on TKP on 6 August 2026 and examines the subject in much greater detail.