The Conflict

Freshwater scarcity is a growing problem in many parts of the world. Many assume that this will inevitably lead to "water wars" between needy states. A brief look at the historical record, however, shows that cooperation between states over water has been much more prevalent than outright war. At the same time, water scarcity has led to low-level conflict between, and within, states. This type of conflict is highly destabilizing and difficult to solve by traditional means. It will likely increase in the future if efforts are not made to better manage water resources.

Political

• Water does not recognize geographic boundaries. Two hundred fourteen river systems are shared between two or more countries. This can lead to conflict between upstream and downstream nations over water quantity and quality.

Territorial

• Freshwater sources are unevenly divided between countries...