Does water cause conflicts or not?

British author Wendy Barnaby earlier this year wrote a piece in Nature magazine questioning whether the popular premise (discussed many places including here on this blog) that water scarcity will inevitably lead to conflict actually is right.

See: Do Nations go to War Over Water? (subscription)
Nature 458, 282-283 (19 March 2009) | doi:10.1038/458282a; Published online 18 March 2009
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v458/n7236/full/458282a.html

(for a preview, see Slate: http://www.slate.com/id/2215263/ )

We had posted an article last November citing to the International Crisis Group's findings that scarcity may actually lead to increased collaboration among nations that would otherwise compete for shared resources:

International Crisis Group recently released a report on Climate Change and Conflict which read in part:

"Importantly, climate and environmental stress may also play a role in producing collaboration instead of violence. Water is an important example. Historically, water scarcity has often – though certainly not always – worked to favour cooperation between states. Interstate dialogue prompted by diminished water supplies, particularly, can build trust, institutionalise cooperation on a broader range of issues and create common regional identities."
see: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4932

Despite Ms. Barnaby's analysis, conventional wisdom still sounds the alarm on "water wars" - see (or hear!) for example, a recent piece by NPR on water shortages in Iraq and potential conflict with neighboring Turkey which controls the headwaters for most of Iraq's river water.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112494850

On the reluctance of states to enshrine right to water

See Professor Gabriel Eckstein's blog on water issues and his August 3rd posting entitled, "Why do so many governments oppose a human right to water?"  The short answer - governments want to avoid liability and responsibilities that come with enforcement of rights.   Interestingly, we note that at the same time that many companies are coming out ahead of states and advocating for the right to water.  This makes sense as if states have to enforce the right to access water, then they may be forced to turn to the private sector to help them physically realize the goal of providing water to constituents. 

http://internationalwaterlaw.org/blog/ 

2009 Failed States Index and Water

In a recent issue of Foreign Policy Magazine, the Failed States Index compiled by the Fund for Peace and FP examines how climate change is predicted to increase the probability of conflict especially in already unstable or failing states.  Notably, author Stephan Faris argues that water is already undermining stability in Pakistan - water shortages have led to food shortages and the deployment of troops to guard wheat supplies.  The Himalayas provide water for much of southeast Asia and as glaciers melt and volume of runoff decreases, tensions with neighboring India are expected to rise as both countries compete with each other over water - Pakistan vociferously opposes damming and fears that India would dam high mountain waters could lead to conflict. 

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/06/22/failed_states_index_the_last_straw 

Nicholas Kristof on "Clean, Sexy Water"

Times Op-Ed columnist Nicholas Kristof profiles the founder of the non-profit organization "charity: water."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/opinion/12kristof.html?_r=2&em

Declaration on U.S. Policy and the Global Challenge of Water

On Wednesday, March 18th, the Center for Strategic & International Studies held a release event for a Declaration on U.S. Policy and the Global Challenge of Water drafted by the Center's Global Water Futures Project. The Declaration is co-chaired by Bill Frist, former Senate Majority Leader, and Neville Isdell, Chairman of The Coca-Cola Company and, at the time of its release, had been endorsed by over 35 leaders from government, industry, and civil society.

The Declaration calls on the U.S. Government to engage more proactively in efforts to address global water concerns. It begins with the observation that "[t]he United States now has the opportunity to take global leadership position on a critical resource - water - that will become even more critical in the future. The world over, water is intricately linked to the stability and security of communities and nations, human health, education, economic prosperity, humanitarian relief, and stewardship of the physical environment. Beyond that, water is vital to other key resources essential to the human condition, most notably agriculture and energy."

In calling for increased U.S. engagement on water issues, the Declaration quotes President Obama, who, in his inaugural address, addressed "the people of poor nations" in stating that "we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds." The President also observed that "we can not longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it."

The Declaration makes the following specific recommendations:

1. The President should spearhead a comprehensive and sustained global campaign to address the global challenge of water.
2. The President should develop an integrated strategy for national action on the global water campaign.
3. The President should appoint a special high-level representative to lead implementation of the U.S. global water campaign.
4. The special representative should be directly reinforced by a core team to help guide implementation of the water campaign, in addition to expanded capacities at the Department of State at the behest of the special representative.
5. The proposed U.S. campaign should be commensurate with the magnitude of the challenge—which means a significant increase in the amount and duration of resources committed under the campaign.
6. The U.S. government should attempt to energize and catalyze international efforts.
7. The U.S. government should reinforce public/private-sector partnerships.

Speaking at the release of the Declaration, former Senator Frist emphasized that it was critical for the United States to develop a national strategy on water issues. Senator Frist focused many of his remarks on the tremendous public health implications of the global water crisis, noting that one child dies every 15 seconds because of a lack of clean drinking water. He observed that, while progress is being made on improving global access to water resources, insufficient progress has been made on improving sanitation facilities.

Mr. Isdell addressed his comments to the global business community. He said that companies, both large and small, must "step up" on water concerns and play a role in formulating effective strategies for ensuring the sustainability of water resources. He called on corporate leaders to address three things: their water footprint, their water handprint, and the public policy blueprint on water issues. To address their footprint, companies must understand their water usage internally, and along their supply chain. Companies should establish clear indicators and goals for water usage. Companies should also strive for water "neutrality" through efforts to improve the efficiency of their water usage, recycle the water that is used and replenish water resources. To address their handprint, companies must seek to play a leadership role in addressing water concerns through partnerships with both government and civil society. Finally, to address the water blueprint, companies should engage in public policy debates and efforts to establish long term strategies for managing global water resources.

More information on the Declaration, including video from the release, is available at
http://www.csis.org/component/option,com_csis_events/task,view/id,1928/

WORLD WATER DAY 2009!

www.worldwaterday.org

www.unwater.org/worldwaterday

Is access to clean water a basic human right?

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0319/p06s01-woeu.html  

With the backdrop of the World Water Forum in Istanbul, this piece in the Christian Science Monitor rasies the question we've been dealing with on the cleanwaterblog - is access to clean water a basic human right?  

The CSM is reporting that, " A declaration to be signed by the ministers of some 120 countries attending the forum is expected to refer to access to water as a "basic need," rather than a right."  

But business seems to be ahead of the state parties with some (like the the AquaFed) espousing that there is a _right_ to water: "There is absolutely no conflict between the right to water and the private sector. Our industry supports the right to water," says Gerard Payen, president of AquaFed, an international federation of some 200 private water operators operating in over 30 countries