Global warming has caused water decrease in water resources in many areas around the globe. We have seen evidence of this in places like California where many water sources have dried up. I am wondering if it would be far-fetched to envisage large super tankers (ships) which will be travelling to polar regions to harvest water from the ice that is in abundance there for distribution as water to places suffering from severe water shortages?
Things would need to be very dry all over for the government or private entities to do this. Is it plausible? Sure. If the land becomes too dry to grow crops, I can see this happening.
YOu pose an interesting question Explorex. I am sure that the California state government is considering a variety of solutions. I think you would probably see desalination before something like that happened. Even though it is expensive. It may be one of the only ways that California can continue to be economically viable. Since a number of crops are grown there, I would like to see that happen.
I tend to be the opinion that before such a stage is reached, other sources of water need to have been exhausted which is not practical since precipitation does occur. Other than desalinisation, underground water would be more economical since it can be harvested and delivered proximally close to the destinations of use. There is also the problem of navigability in polar regions and the use of fuel to transport such water mould no doubt make it expensive .
