The Colorado river is shrinking and the tens of millions of Americans that rely on the water source are having to deal with the possibility of imposed water cuts. The urban sprawls that have peppered the desert are also in competition with the industries that operate in the area and use the water from the Colorado river: agriculture, semiconductors, and energy. In this week’s episode we discuss what happens when companies no longer have access to the water they need to operate.

In the face of increasingly frequent and severe climate hazards around the globe, water constraints appear to be emerging as an important factor impacting the Taiwanese semiconductor industry and global supply chains.

As international delegates thrash out new targets to save biodiversity, the food industry could quickly become a pariah. And for Taiwan’s all-important semi-conductor manufacturers, water shortages are raising uncomfortable questions.

China’s government in December 2020 announced the country aims to reach a peak in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030 and become carbon-neutral by 2060. How could this commitment affect the risk-return profiles of Chinese companies in various sectors?