Invest in water and provide a buffer against future pandemics

Global water shortages have long hampered growth and development, and climate change has exacerbated the problem. Will the coronavirus pandemic be a turning point? Stuart Watkins reports.

Indian children with facemasks wash their hands © NOAH SEELAM/AFP via Getty Images
Wash your hands – easier said than done for many © Getty
(Image credit: Indian children with facemasks wash their hands © NOAH SEELAM/AFP via Getty Images)

This article was first published in MoneyWeek magazine issue no 1000 in May 2020. To make sure you don't miss out in future, and get to read all our articles as soon as they're published, sign up to MoneyWeek here and get your first six issues free.

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Stuart Watkins
Comment editor, MoneyWeek

Stuart graduated from the University of Leeds with an honours degree in biochemistry and molecular biology, and from Bath Spa University College with a postgraduate diploma in creative writing. 

He started his career in journalism working on newspapers and magazines for the medical profession before joining MoneyWeek shortly after its first issue appeared in November 2000. He has worked for the magazine ever since, and is now the comment editor. 

He has long had an interest in political economy and philosophy and writes occasional think pieces on this theme for the magazine, as well as a weekly round up of the best blogs in finance. 

His work has appeared in The Lancet and The Idler and in numerous other small-press and online publications.