How far do you agree that water is the key resource necessary for a country's development?

Requirements to pass: Construct arguments that tend to the key terms of the question. Water: Water for what use (Production of energy/ Industrial/ Domestic) and how does a supply of clean water (Sanitation) affects the country's development? Key Resource: The script should state how crucial the water resource is to a country in various areas of use (Industrial/Domestic) Necessary: Are there other key factors that lead to a country's development aside from a secure water supply? Country's development: Development in which areas? Economic? Social? Political? With relation to how water affects the infrastructure development of a country and how it can influence the economic growth of a country. Possible OVERALL Stand: Water is a Key Resource - Having a secure water as a vital component of our infrastructure is necessary(Why and how?) for a country's development(In which areas?). Water is not a Key Resource - Having an essay centred around this stand is suicide. Which industrial process doesn't make use of water in large quantities? Then again, even an agricultural economy needs water for self sustenance. However, counter arguments can discuss about where other factors such as research and development on new technology (NEWater, desalination) can reduce our reliance on water supply from foreign sources. (Development of a country in terms of achieving sovereignty, less exposed to resource threats) etc. Possible argument to consider (Necessary): Point 1: Water is crucial for the SUSTAINED economic development of a country. Based on a report by the World Health Organisation, it is an undeniable fact that investment in water management and services is necessary for enabling sustained economic growth. WHY? Access to a rich water supply is crucial for agricultural productivity and industry. For example, the production of a new car takes about 40,000 gallons of water. Without accessible water, the labour productivity of the manufacturing industries will decrease.

Point 2:

A clean water supply improves the standard of living in a country which can positively influence a country's economic and social development

Good accessibility to clean water supply enables the country to better provide for its citizens in terms of sanitation which will help reduce the spread of infectious diseases such as malaria. By containing the spread of such diseases, people live healthier and more productive lives as lesser working days are lost to the treatment of such diseases, therefore having positive effect on the economic development of a country.

Point 3: A good water supply is essential for the production of energy required for industrial uses Fossil-Fuel power stations requires large volumes of water to be heated to generate steam which powers the wind turbines that then generate electricity. Nuclear plants make use of water in it's cooling systems. Hydroelectric plants makes use of water dams to produce large amounts electrical energy for industrial use.

The candidate can show how water is a component of energy production. Point 4: A good water supply protects the sovereignty of a country, protecting her from facing water related threats.: Despite the Indus Waters treaty of 1960 which helps both India and Pakistan to share water supply from the Indus river. Indian-administered Kashmir holds the headwaters of Indus river which affects the water supply of Pakistan with both countries facing increasing water demands. Singapore-Malaysia water conflict. (Singapore imports nearly 40% of its water supply from Malaysia)

Points to consider( not necessary) Point 1: There are other resources which are more vital to the economic development of a country. Explanation and evaluation: Other resources such as petroleum and coal are also essential to countrys development. For example, countries like Norway, Canada have extracted a lot of oil and made profits from it. They are able to make profits by selling the oil that they have extracted. With oil also means the cost of production in the country will be greatly reduced as they dont have to be dependent on other countries for oil and be affected by the fluctuating prices of oil globally. This lowered cost of production will attract foreign investors to set up factories in their countries which could provide job opportunities for the locals. Ultimately, these will help the development of the country.

Point 2: Country may rely heavily on other industries such as tourism and trade.

Explanation and evaluation: In Singapore, tourism contributes approximately 4% of the countrys GDP in 2011. According to the WTO, Singapore has the highest trade to GDP ratio in the world at 407.9 per cent. Due to its geostrategic location and developed port facilities, a large volume of Singapore's merchandise exports involve entrept trade with 47 per cent of exports consisting of re-exports. Point 3: Technology and planning can solve most of the problems brought on by not having a secure supply of water from foreign sources. Eg. Singapore wants to reduce reliance on countries such as Malaysia for supply of clean water with research and development of solutions such as NEWater (Constitutes 30% of Singapore's water supply) and desalination plants. Building of new res