The 2008 film Quantum of Solace is considered one of the low points in Daniel Craig’s film franchise tenure as superspy James Bond.
It’s an unwarranted opinion.
I like the film a lot and consider it to be ahead of its time. Acclaimed French actor Mathieu Amalric’s performance as the villain Dominic Greene is also criminally underrated.
Amalric portrayed Greene in an understated but powerful performance as a kind of bureaucratic terrorist with a criminal plan that raised eyebrows at the time.
Greene was plotting to overthrow the Bolivian government and control its water supply.
As I watch the film back then, I remember the plot bothering me. Not as campy as James Bond trying to stop weather machines in space, but the water control plot struck me as evil and disturbing.
The world has been running out of potable water for a long time now. And it isn’t a recent phenomenon.
About two billion people grapple with clean water shortages, or no access to clean water, daily.
By 2024, over two-thirds of the planet will be dealing with water shortages. And these water shortages won’t just be occurring in developing nations either.
Between 2011 and 2015, the state of California has experienced the driest droughts since 1895. Back in 2014, almost 60% of the viable land in California was adversely affected by drought conditions.
Anyway, besides stocking up on water and conserving its use whenever possible, you can now invest in water futures.
Water Futures
As of January 1, 2021, water will be a tradeable commodity that is just as valuable as gold or oil. And if the water scarcity crisis gets worse in the future, water may become more valuable than oil or gold.
For added context, a barrel of oil fell below -$50 per barrel in April 2020 as the pandemic struck. For a while, water was literally more valuable than oil.
In 2014, the S&P Global Water Index estimated that water is technically more valuable than gold since only 2.5% of the Earth’s water supply is freshwater. And even then, only a tiny percentage of that 2.5% estimate is potable.
If the water scarcity crisis worsens, water will only gain in value.
Now, farmers, investors, hedge funds, and local governments can invest in the future availability of potable water in California. California is the world’s 5th largest economy and the largest agriculture market in the country.
These investments are tethered to California’s $1.1 billion spot market for water futures.
It is inevitable that trading for water futures will become a more common practice as the water scarcity crisis deepens. So, you can invest or learn to conserve water in a more efficient manner.
Maybe Dominic Greene was on to something back in 2008?
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Allen Francis was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years with no money, no financial literacy, and no responsibility when he had money. To him, the phrase “personal finance,” contains the power that anyone has to grow their own wealth. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including focusing on your needs instead of your wants, asking for help when you need it, saving and investing in your own small business.