2023 Was a Record Year for Violence Over Water Resources Across the Globe

New study from the Pacific Institute shows rapid growth in water as a trigger, weapon, and casualty of violence, with a dramatic jump in 2023 incidents

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, USA, AUGUST 22, 2024 - 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, unrest and disputes over the control of and access to water, and the use of water as a weapon of war. The number of events has risen rapidly in recent years, with 150% as many incidents in 2023 as those recorded in 2022 (347 events versus 231). In the year 2000, there were only 22 such incidents recorded.

The Pacific Institute, a global water think tank, is today releasing a major update to its Water Conflict Chronology, the world's most comprehensive open-source database on water-related violence. More than 300 new instances of violent conflicts associated with water resources and water systems have been added to the record. Incidents are identified from news reports, eyewitness accounts, and other conflict databases. The new entries capture all water-related incidents of violence through the end of 2023. The updated data and analysis were released in advance of the world's largest international conference on water, Stockholm's World Water Week, where the 2024 theme is "Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future."

"The significant upswing in violence over water resources reflects continuing disputes over control and access to scarce water resources, the importance of water for modern society, growing pressures on water due to population growth and extreme climate change, and ongoing attacks on water systems where war and violence are widespread, especially in the Middle East and Ukraine," said Dr. Peter Gleick, Senior Fellow and co-founder of the Pacific Institute.

Figure 1: The number of events in the Chronology between 2000 and 2023, showing the dramatic rise over the past decade.

"The large increase in these events signals that too little is being done to ensure equitable access to safe and sufficient water and highlights the devastation that war and violence wreak on civilian populations and essential water infrastructure," said Morgan Shimabuku, Senior Researcher with the Pacific Institute. "The newly updated data and analysis exposes the increasing risk that climate change adds to already fragile political situations by making access to clean water less reliable in areas of conflict around the world."

Regional Analysis

Water conflicts were reported in all major regions around the world in 2023. Violence over water in the Middle East (coded as Western Asia in the report and database), Southern Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa continue to dominate the database, consistent with trends in recent years. 2023 saw increases in all three categories of conflicts (trigger, casualty, weapon). Attacks on water and water infrastructure accounted for half of the 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 11% of the time. Subnational conflicts between farmers and pastoralists in Africa, urban and rural water users, religious groups, and family clans in 2023 (62% of the events) continue to far outnumber transboundary events where two or more nations were involved (38% of the events).

The new analysis indicates several regions of special concern in 2023. A fact sheet from the Pacific Institute includes selected examples of incidents that took place in 2023.

Policy and Practice Solutions Available

In addition to collecting and sharing data on water conflicts, the Pacific Institute's work is focused on identifying and understanding strategies to reduce the risks of water-related violence. The rise in water-related conflict has diverse drivers and causes and therefore requires diverse approaches and strategies that build water resilience and address underlying causes. In places where drought and climate change are contributing to tensions over water, policies can be enacted to more equitably distribute and share water among stakeholders and technology can help to more efficiently use what water is available. Agreements over water sharing and joint management of water can be negotiated to resolve transboundary conflicts, such as those along the Tigris/Euphrates rivers, the Helmand River, and elsewhere. When enforced, international laws of war that protect civilian infrastructure like 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 cyber-attacks that try to weaponize access to water for communities.

"It is urgent that we work to reduce the threat of water-related violence. The best ways to do this are to move to more resilient and effective water policies that guarantee safe water and sanitation for everyone, strengthen and enforce international agreements and laws over shared water resources, and address the growing threats posed by extreme droughts and floods worsened by climate change," said Gleick. "Solutions are available, but to date they have been insufficiently applied."

Background: The Water Conflict Chronology
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 by the Pacific Institute in the 1980s, it includes verified instances where water and water systems have been a (1) trigger; (2) target or casualty; or (3) weapon of violence. The data extend back over 4,500 years. Each entry in the Water Conflict Chronology is identified with the date, location, category (trigger, casualty, or weapon), a short description, and a verifying citation or source. The Chronology now includes over 1,920 cases of violence associated with water resources and systems and shows a clear worsening of water-related violence in recent decades.

Additional data, figures, and information can be found on 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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