Oakland, California, USA, August 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Violence over water resources increased dramatically in 2023, continuing a steep growth trend of such incidents over the past decade. These events include attacks on water systems, riots and disputes over control and access to water, and the use of water as a weapon of war. The number of events has increased rapidly in recent years, with 150% as many incidents recorded in 2023 as in 2022 (347 events compared to 231). In 2000, only 22 such incidents were recorded.

The Pacific Institute, a global water think tank, today released an important update of its Chronology of water conflicts, the world’s most comprehensive open-source database on water-related violence. More than 300 new cases of violent conflict related to water resources and water systems have been added to the dataset. The incidents are identified using news reports, eyewitness accounts and other conflict databases. The new entries capture all water-related violence incidents until the end of 2023. The updated data and analysis were released ahead of the world’s largest international conference on water, World Water Week in Stockholm, whose theme in 2024 is “Breaking Boundaries: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future”.

“The significant increase in violence over water resources reflects ongoing disputes over control and access to scarce water resources, the importance of water to modern society, growing pressures on water supplies due to population growth and extreme climate change, and ongoing attacks on water systems where war and violence are widespread, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine,” said Dr. Peter Gleick, Senior Fellow and Co-Founder of the Pacific Institute.

“The sharp increase in these incidents demonstrates that too little is being done to ensure equitable access to clean and sufficient water, and highlights the devastation that war and violence wreak on civilian populations and vital water infrastructure,” said Morgan Shimabuku, senior researcher at the Pacific Institute. “The newly updated data and analysis demonstrate the increasing risk that climate change will exacerbate already fragile political situations by making access to clean water less reliable in conflict zones around the world.”

Regional analysis

In 2023, water conflicts were reported in all major regions of the world. Violence over water in the Middle East (coded as West Asia in the report and database), South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa continues to dominate the database, consistent with trends in recent years. 2023 saw increases in all three conflict categories (trigger, victim, weapon). Attacks on water and water infrastructure accounted for half of incidents in 2023; violence triggered by disputes over access and control of water accounted for 39%; and water was used as a weapon of war in 11% of cases. Subnational conflicts between farmers and pastoralists in Africa, urban and rural water users, religious groups, and family clans in 2023 (62% of events) continue to far outnumber cross-border events involving two or more nations (38% of events).

The new analysis highlights several regions of particular concern in 2023. A fact sheet from the Pacific Institute provides selected examples of incidents that occurred in 2023.

Available policy and practical solutions

In addition to collecting and sharing data on water conflict, the Pacific Institute’s work focuses on identifying and understanding strategies to reduce the risks of water-related violence. The rise in water-related conflict has different drivers and causes and therefore requires different approaches and strategies that build water resilience and address underlying causes. In places where drought and climate change contribute to tensions over water, policies can be enacted to distribute and share water more equitably among stakeholders, and technology can help use available water more efficiently. Water-sharing and joint management agreements can be negotiated to resolve cross-border conflicts, such as along the Tigris/Euphrates rivers, the Helmand River, and elsewhere. When international laws of war are enforced, protecting civilian infrastructure such as dams, pipelines, and water treatment plants can provide essential protections that uphold the basic human right to water. Improving cybersecurity practices can reduce the threat of cyberattacks that attempt to weaponize community access to water.

“It is urgent that we work to reduce the threat of water-related violence. The best ways to do this are through more resilient and effective water policies that guarantee clean water and sanitation for all, strengthening and enforcing international agreements and laws on shared water resources, and addressing the growing threat of extreme droughts and floods, which are exacerbated by climate change,” said Gleick. “Solutions exist, but so far they are poorly implemented.”

Background: The chronology of the water conflict
The world’s largest open source database on water-related violence

The Water Conflict Chronology is the world’s most comprehensive open-source database on water-related violence. Created in the 1980s by the Pacific Institute, it contains documented cases where water and water systems have played a (1) trigger; (2) Target or victim; or (3) weapon of violence. The data goes back over 4,500 years. Each entry in the Water Conflict Chronology is marked with a date, location, category (trigger, victim or weapon), a brief description and a corroborating quote or source. The chronology now includes over 1,920 cases of violence related to water resources and systems and shows a clear worsening of water-related violence in recent decades.

Further data, figures and information can be found in this fact sheet.

For more information, contact Dr. Peter Gleick, co-founder and senior fellow of the Pacific Institute, at [email protected] or Dr. Amanda Bielawski, Director of Communications and Outreach, at [email protected].

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About the Pacific Institute: Founded in 1987, the Pacific Institute is a global think tank on water issues that combines science-based thought leadership with active outreach to influence local, national and international efforts to develop sustainable water policies. From working with Fortune 500 companies to frontline communities, our mission is to develop and advance solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges. Since 2009, the Pacific Institute has also served as the co-secretariat for the CEO Water Mandate, a global engagement platform that mobilizes a critical mass of corporate leaders to address global water challenges through corporate water stewardship. For more information, visit pacinst.org.