The crystal-clear waters issuing from the Alps in Europe could become increasingly contested as climate change and glacier melt become more apparent. Italy wants them for crop irrigation. Swiss authorities want to hold up flows to ensure their hydroelectric plants can rev up, when needed. Envoys from eight Alpine countries are meeting this week to discuss approaches to transportation, power generation, agriculture and tourism that preserve Alpine resources and protect the environment. Environmental groups say more steps need to start now to make sure Europeans in the mountains and downstream continue to benefit from a precious and increasingly threatened resource.
A battle is brewing around Europe's rooftop over the planet's most precious resource. The crystal-clear waters from the Alps could become increas