CARTAGENA THINKS: Marta Lizcano presents her book 'The challenge of water: collective defense against the capitalist offensive'. El Luzzy

THE WATER CHALLENGE: COLLECTIVE DEFENSE AGAINST THE CAPITALIST OFFENSIVE
(Descontrol Editorial, 2024)

Presented by: Julia Martínez, New Water Culture Foundation

Although water is an essential element for life in its many facets – nutrition, ecosystems, health – it is far from being a right for the entire world's population. Turning on the tap and drinking some water is such a simple action that it is hardly valued. Yet approximately one fifth of the entire world's population suffers from its scarcity.

Everywhere we look, processes of appropriation and privatization of water are taking place, creating an artificial scarcity with profound and complex consequences. This essay analyses and clarifies some of these layers of commodification: from hydroelectric plants to agricultural and mining markets, through distribution networks, bottled water and the terrible genocide in Palestine.

. All of this from a class perspective and with the aim of gathering struggles and tools that serve to reappropriate a good that should belong to all of humanity.

Marta Lizcano Barrio (Madrid, 1991). Antifascist, feminist and libertarian. She studied Sociology, a master's degree in Epistemology and enrolled in a doctorate. She dreamed of working in the academic world and being a professor, but the university had other plans.
She has published in the journal Science for the People and was coordinator of the collaborative blog It seems love, but it is not. She believes that language, writing and research have to be at the service of the people, not of power, and serve to change the world (for the better). She always wanted to write a book. She gave birth to her son a few days apart and in similar months of gestation.