According to the Council on Foreign Relations more than two billion people across the globe lack access to clean water . Recently the United Nations reported that the world is in a state of “water bankruptcy” meaning that “ …the world has entered a new stage: more river basins and aquifers are losing the ability to return to their historical ‘normal’. Droughts, shortages and pollution episodes …are becoming chronic in many places…”.
This column will discuss two of the many consequences of water bankruptcy. One is horrible , the other is hopeful
Horror: Water as a weapon of war
The UN has described the situation in Sudan as the “ world’s largest displacement and humanitarian crisis”. About fourteen million people have been displaced from their homes. This tragedy has been caused by a civil war between the army of the recognized government in Khartoum (SAF) , and a rebel group called the RSF. According to the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights this is what has been happening:
Targeted Destruction: The RSF has seized or disabled major water sources in North Darfur – – cutting off access for hundreds of thousands people
Siege tactics with ethnic dimensions in Darfur: The RSF forces have used water denial as part of broader attacks against non-Arab populations, including pillage, sexual violence, and targeted killings.
Nationwide infrastructure collapse: Sudanese armed forces (SAF) airstrikes and RSF drone attacks on power stations have blacked out essential systems across Khartoum, Omdurman, Port Sudan and Atbara, severely disrupting water treatment and medical facilities.
Regional impact: the water-related humanitarian crisis is reverberating across Sudan’s borders. Rescue.org reports that 4.5 million people have fled to neighboring countries where refugees now face critical water shortages and heightened disease risk.
Hope: Water disputes between nations can be settled diplomatically.
India and Pakistan
The critical issue is water from the Indus River. An Indus Water Treaty was signed 66 years ago. However India has now said that it will not observe the treaty unless Pakistan tackles cross border terrorism . Pakistan asserts that its access to the water is being blocked by India. Pakistan’s agriculture and power sectors are heavily dependent of the Indus Basin, Last month the defense minster of Pakistan said that his country will go to war if his country’s water security is threatened . These two countries have gone to war several times in their history . Even with all the bad blood between the two countries so far diplomacy has prevailed and the water situation has not deteriorated to the point of war.
Egypt and Ethiopia
The Foreign Policy Research Institute explains the situation this way: The Nile River flows through both countries and is critical to each of them. Ethiopia started building a hydroelectric dam called the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in 2011 and completed filling the water reservoir in 2024. Its goal is the generation of electricity for millions of people. Egypt accuses Ethiopia of violating international law by unilaterally taking control of the primary source of the Nile River, namely the Blue Nile. Ethiopia views the dam as essential to its economic development . Egypt has historically been the master of the Nile and sees the GERD as a threat to its water supply. Egypt has threatened to blow up the dam and go to war over the situation. Thankfully war has been avoided so far. That may be because countries can see broader implications of an armed conflict. Egypt has the stronger military but Ethiopia is not powerless. It could potentially damage or even destroy the Egypt’s Aswan High Dam. According to a study conducted in 2004 , “ a collapse of the Aswan High Dam would be catastrophic for Egypt ..it would likely destroy most of the developed areas of the country and cause tens of millions of casualties.” Similarly if Egypt destroyed the GERD it would a catastrophe for Ethiopia . It may be that the specter of a national catastrophe is sufficient deterrent to avoid a shooting war. The two sides negotiated a water sharing agreement that is still in effect.
Final Thoughts
A UNESCO report in 2024 said “World wide, agricultural accounts for roughly 70 % of freshwater withdrawals followed by industry ( just under 20%) and domestic or municipal use (about 12%)”
Finding drought resistance crops and better irrigation systems may reduce part of the problem .
Concern.org has suggested a number of other steps that could be taken. Here are some of them: Protect existing freshwater sources; Desalinators and water purification tablets; improve water infrastructure at the national level; Rainwater harvesting in areas that get enough rainfall but don’t collect enough of it; develop solar power in areas where grid power is unreliable or nonexistent.
Water bankruptcy is a world wide emergency and world wide solutions will need to be found.