Four billion people live in countries threatened by water wars
Posted: Monday 10th December 2007
Nearly four billion people (two thirds of the world’s population) live in countries where there is serious political tension over lakes and rivers that cross international borders. Climate change and over-use are increasing the pressure on water and the World Development Movement is today launching a campaign calling on the government to ‘Stop Water Wars’.
Ten years ago New Labour co-sponsored a UN convention that addresses the peaceful management of shared water resources, and despite successive ministers stressing the security threat over water, the government has failed to ratify it. The World Development Movement demands the government formally signs up to the convention which would help to keep the peace over water, increasing stability and development in an uncertain world.
Disputes over lakes or rivers can exacerbate pre-existing political tensions. Current hotspots include some of the most volatile countries in the world: Turkey and Iraq; India and Bangladesh; and China and its neighbours.
Fred Pearce, author of When the Rivers Run Dry and New Scientist contributor said:
"Water is rapidly becoming one of the defining crises of the 21st century. Many parts of the world, notably the Middle East, are running out of water to feed themselves. But as more and more countries run short of water, the threat of wars over water will grow. Water has been at the heart of many international disputes, the UK government has recognised this but refuses to act."
Benedict Southworth, director of the World Development Movement said:
“10 years ago the UK government supported a UN convention that would help keep the peace over shared water resources. It is ridiculous that they have failed to sign up to it. Other countries would then follow their example and by looking after water resources better, it would help bring increased stability to fragile peace in many parts of the world.”
Dr David Tickner, Head of Freshwater Programmes at WWF-UKsaid:
"It beggars belief to see iconic rivers such as the Ganges and the Rio Grande with just a trickle of water. Conflicts between countries only exacerbate the problems of water overuse and poorly planned dams. The consequences are often devastating for people and for wildlife. We urgently need the international community to recognise this crisis and to get behind the UN Watercourses Convention. There's a golden opportunity for the UK government to lead the world on this."
Ali Askouri, from Sudan and director of the Piankhi Research Group, said:
“There is always a threat of war between countries along the River Nile, partly because there is not enough water for communities to live off; and because past agreements have divided the water unfairly between countries. I think the UK could play a very constructive role here. The UK must sign up to the convention, so they can lead by example.”
Case studies
· Bangladesh
Bangladesh is downstream from India and therefore on the receiving end of upstream interventions on the river system.
Bangladeshi activist Zakir Kibria, said:
“India has already constructed dams and hydro-electric projects on 50 out of 54 rivers that run from there to Bangladesh. It is now planning a hydro-electric dam that will kill the Barak-Surma river system and could affect up to ten million of our people.”
- Paraguay
Paraguay shares several important rivers with its neighbours Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia. Paraguay – along with local communities in all the countries of the region – is currently losing out as stronger governments and companies want to dam and widen the rivers.
Paraguay has signed the UN convention and Elías Díaz Peña, a campaigner with SOBREVIVENCIA said:
“An international campaign to get the United Kingdom and other countries to ratify the convention, so that it becomes effective under the United Nations system, will put Paraguay in a better position to negotiate fair and equitable agreements with its neighbouring countries towards sustainable management of the international rivers in the Rio de la Plata Basin.”
- Sudan
Water scarcity is a big problem in Sudan, and tensions over water are inflaming pre-existing conflicts internally, such as in Darfur, and with its neighbours.
Now the government is building a massive dam on the Nile, which will displace more than 80,000 people from the river banks to the desert. The government will not resettle them close to the river, arguably because Sudan has limited rights to use the Nile water and doesn’t want these communities to use it for their crops.· Middle East
The states of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority have a tense relationship over the limited water supplies of the Jordan River. The Euphrates River has been a source of tension between Turkey and Syria, and Iraq and Syria have come close to war over plans to dam the river.
