More Than Half of the World’s Water Conflicts Are in Asia

Asia is the global epicenter for water conflicts, accounting for more than half of all reported between 2020 and 2023 in absolute terms. This is according to data from the Pacific Institute. From 2020 to 2023, 410 water conflicts were listed in Asia. In just four years, this was already 21 more than the 389 conflicts in the region reported in the ten year stretch from 2010 to 2019. Africa had the second-highest number of water conflicts in 2020 to 2023 at 184, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean with 184, Europe with 89 and North America with six.

The Pacific Institute’s data is categorized based on the use, impact or effect that water has within a conflict and can be subdivided into three main groups. The first is termed “casualty” and describes the loss of water resources or systems due to becoming intentional or incidental targets of violence. The second is defined as a “weapon”, where water resources or systems are used as an instrument or weapon in a violent conflict. The third and final group falls under “trigger”, which covers conflicts that are directly over the control of water. In this case, economic or physical access to water, or the event of water scarcity, have triggered violence.