Since the start of the 21st century, water has triggered a quarter of all violent conflict globally. This is not a new phenomenon. In 2500 BC Mesopotamia, in a conflict over what is now Iraq, the King of Lagash cut the flow of the Tigris River into Umma in retaliation after Umma cut the flow of the Euphrates River to Lagash.
Today, the Tigris-Euphrates Basin remains a hotspot for water conflict. Sixty percent of the population has little to no access to clean water. High water stress, when water demand exceeds water supply, aggravated by climate change, contributes to existing political, social, and economic instability. Given the global consequences of climate change, the challenge is especially intense in the Middle East, but no countries will be or are fully immune to water conflict.
This summer, Europe saw its worst drought in 500 years, meanwhile one-third of Pakistan was flooded after a devastating monsoon season. These unpredictable weather patterns have shifted water availability, exacerbating tensions both within and between countries.
Flooding in Sindh Province, Pakistan after a monsoon in 2010
Access to clean water supplies is becoming more challenging with climate change. While water supply fluctuates, rapid population growth and economic development in places like Africa and Southern Asia are driving up water demand. These challenges are forcing countries to find new clean water sources, better manage flooding, and reconsider water usage.
When water runs short, conflict increases; Water can trigger violent conflicts. Water can be used strategically as a weapon— just like in Mesopotamia. Water can also be a casualty of war when combatants harm or destroy water systems. Water is seldom the only factor in violent conflict, but it can make conflict more destructive and lethal.
Preventing water conflicts requires precautionary and interdisciplinary thinking. Different disciplinary approaches enable diverse solutions, like science and engineering approaches focus on increasing efficiency and reducing waste. Whereas legal tools impose regulations that will reduce inefficient use. Economic tools can price water’s true costs to society and the environment. And policy strategies involve communication between stakeholders.
Existing conflicts are just the beginning, unless there is a way to change the path of climate change or find ways to adapt. So how do we solve the imminent water conflicts using available diplomatic, technical, and economic tools to prevent this violence? Preventing water conflicts will require precautionary and interdisciplinary strategies that bridge adaptation, cooperation, and environmentalism.