Water for Peace: Why Access and Cooperation Are Essential for Global Prosperity

Redacción HC
25/09/2024

As climate pressures mount and global water demand surges, the 2024 edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report brings a stark message: water is not just a natural resource—it is a foundation for peace and prosperity. Published by UNESCO in support of UN-Water, this report explores how water can either fuel conflict or foster stability, depending on how it is managed, shared, and valued.

Drawing on global datasets, case studies, and future projections, the report argues that sustainable and equitable water governance is critical to achieving development goals, preventing migration crises, and maintaining geopolitical stability. With over 50% of the world’s population experiencing seasonal water scarcity, water-related challenges are no longer distant threats—they are here and now.

The Core Question: Can Water Drive Peace?

Water security has long been treated as a sectoral issue—relevant to agriculture, sanitation, or health. But the 2024 report reframes it as a multidimensional issue that intersects with economics, security, gender equity, and diplomacy. The central question is clear: Can sustainable water management become a catalyst for peace and economic development?

Evidence suggests yes—but only if global action accelerates. Without large-scale investment and cooperation, particularly in vulnerable regions, water could deepen existing inequalities, trigger displacement, and spark conflict.

A Global Diagnosis: Agriculture, Industry, and Domestic Use

The report breaks down water use into three core sectors:

• Agriculture: 70% of global freshwater withdrawals
• Industry: 20%
• Domestic use: 12%

This breakdown highlights the enormous pressure agriculture places on freshwater systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where irrigation practices are often inefficient. At the same time, growing industrial demand and urban expansion are intensifying competition for limited water supplies.

Moreover, access remains deeply unequal. In many low-income countries, basic drinking water and sanitation services are still out of reach, with wastewater treatment severely lacking.

Scarcity, Migration, and Inequality: When Water Becomes a Risk Multiplier

Among the report’s most sobering findings is that seasonal or chronic water scarcity now affects over 4 billion people. Climate change intensifies these shortages, often turning stress into full-blown crises.

For example:

• Between 1970 and 2000, water deficits contributed to a 10% increase in global migration.
• From 2002 to 2022, floods killed ~100,000 people and impacted 1.6 billion more; droughts caused ~21,000 deaths and $170 billion in economic losses.

Water insecurity disproportionately harms women and girls, who bear the burden of fetching water, face heightened health risks, and often miss educational opportunities due to inadequate sanitation facilities.

From Risk to Resource: How Cooperation Can Transform Outcomes

Despite these challenges, the report showcases numerous success stories where water management has fostered regional collaboration:

• Transboundary river basins—which account for 60% of global freshwater flows—are natural laboratories for peacebuilding. Agreements on shared rivers like the Mekong and Senegal demonstrate how cooperative governance can prevent conflict and promote development.
• In fragile contexts, localized water initiatives have helped rebuild trust, improve livelihoods, and support post-conflict reconstruction.

To scale up these successes, the report calls for US$114 billion in annual investments until 2030 to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation for all).

Policy Implications: What Governments and Donors Must Do

Water as a Peace Strategy

The report recommends that water be treated not merely as an environmental concern but as a strategic asset for peace and development. Key recommendations include:

1. Recognize water as a human right and a public good.
2. Reform agricultural and industrial subsidies that encourage wasteful water use.
3. Boost financial flows to developing countries, especially for climate-resilient infrastructure.
4. Integrate water governance into national peace and security strategies.

Local Action, Global Impact

In Latin America, where droughts, floods, and infrastructure gaps threaten both rural and urban populations, these insights are particularly relevant. For countries like Peru, which rely heavily on glacial runoff for agriculture and drinking water, investing in integrated watershed management and regional cooperation is not just advisable—it’s urgent.

The Human Dimension: Water and Social Equity

Improving water access does more than quench thirst—it promotes:

• Public health: by reducing exposure to waterborne diseases
• Education: especially for girls, who often skip school due to water duties
• Economic empowerment: freeing time and resources for other pursuits
• Social cohesion: reducing resource-driven tensions

These human-centered benefits reinforce the report’s thesis: investing in water is investing in peace.

Conclusion: It’s Time to Think Bigger About Water

The UN World Water Development Report 2024 offers a call to action grounded in evidence and urgency. Water is not only a development challenge—it’s a political and moral imperative. To ensure global stability and prosperity, we must reimagine water management as a vehicle for equity, resilience, and cooperation.

As climate extremes and geopolitical tensions rise, so does the cost of inaction. The path forward is clear: cooperate or compete over water. Only one of these leads to peace.

Topics of interest

Health