Water conflicts. Geopolitical and socio-environmental aspects

This topic belongs to the field of ‘water politics, an interdisciplinary area spanning political geography, international relations and environmental studies. It is not merely about “water wars” in the strict sense, but above all about conflicts, competition and negotiation between states and communities. This study is situated within this context and views water as a strategic, limited, unevenly distributed, disputed and essential resource for all human activities and, ultimately, one that is severely affected by climate change and population growth. After presenting an initial framework and references to key international documents, partnerships and organisations for water cooperation, the study aims to analyse conflicts through various reports, databases and open-access tools. In particular, the geopolitical and socio-environmental implications are studied and interpreted through case studies of specific geographical areas, such as: sub-Saharan Africa, the Sahel, as well as specific cross-border lake basins such as: Lake Chad and the Aral Sea.