Water Scarcity Fuels Global Conflicts

In recent decades, the world has faced a growing number of conflicts where access to water is the main stake. A record number of incidents related to violence over water resources was recorded last year. These conflicts have most severely affected the Middle East, including Palestinian territories under Israeli occupation. This situation is an alarming sign of a deepening climate crisis, increasingly threatening global peace and stability.

The Global Water Crisis is Intensifying

Since the beginning of the new millennium, there has been a continuous increase in violence related to water resources, with a dramatic escalation in recent years. According to the latest Water Conflict Chronology report published by the Pacific Institute, the number of water conflicts in 2023 increased by 50% compared to the previous year, reaching nearly 350 documented cases. These incidents included attacks on water infrastructure—dams, pipelines, sewage treatment plants—as well as public riots and armed clashes over access to increasingly scarce water resources.

The Middle East – The Epicenter of Water-Related Violence

The Middle East has become one of the key epicenters of global conflicts over water resources, accounting for 38% (131 cases) of all incidents recorded in 2023. Particularly alarming is the significant role of Israel in these statistics. The Israeli armed forces and settlers were responsible for 91 attacks on Palestinian water resources in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. These actions included the destruction of wells, pumps, irrigation systems, and other elements of water infrastructure.

In the Gaza Strip, even before the escalation of the conflict in October 2023, the situation was critical, and subsequent Israeli actions led to further destruction or damage to a significant portion of the water infrastructure. These attacks exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation, leaving millions of people without access to water.

However, water-related violence is not limited to Israeli actions in Palestinian territories. Across the Middle East, where water has long been a scarce commodity, growing pressure on water resources further exacerbates existing armed conflicts, such as those in Iraq or Pakistan.

Water Struggles in Latin America and India

Similar issues also affect other regions of the world. In Latin America, the number of water-related incidents in 2023 tripled compared to the previous year. This is particularly evident in countries struggling with drought and unequal access to water resources. For example, in Colombia, as in Mexico, protests against mismanagement of water resources and unequal access to water for different users were met with brutal police responses.

In India, the number of recorded water conflicts increased by 150% compared to 2022. The main causes of this situation are severe droughts and resulting disputes between local communities over access to water necessary for irrigation. One example of such a conflict is the dispute over the Cauvery River between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, which is just one of many cases that could lead to further escalation of tensions in the future.

Climate Change and the Scale of Water Conflicts

The Pacific Institute report points out that the growing global violence over water access is directly linked to the climate crisis and increasing water shortages. Climate change, characterized by more frequent and intense droughts and unpredictable rainfall patterns, not only exacerbates existing conflicts but also creates new challenges for political stability worldwide.

Peter Gleick, co-founder of the Pacific Institute, also highlights that the increasing violence over water is the result of ineffective enforcement of international law and insufficient efforts to ensure access to clean water and sanitation for all. His words are confirmed by the UN World Water Development Report 2024, published in March this year, which shows that 2.2 billion people still live without safe access to drinking water.

The escalation of water conflicts worldwide is an alarming signal that water resources are becoming a new battlefield in the global struggle for survival. In the face of the climate crisis and growing pressure on natural resources, urgent action is needed to protect water access and build resilient water management systems capable of withstanding climate change.