Happy World Water Day! This year’s theme, “Leveraging Water for Peace,” is a reminder that this precious shared resource can either spark conflict or foster peace. Nowhere is this more evident than in places where freshwater is shared between countries, known as transboundary aquifers, and 60% of the world’s flow traverses political boundaries, hydrating over 150 countries.
Much of the world’s freshwater comes from precipitation, which is increasingly impacted by climate change-induced droughts, heightening the risk of water-fueled conflict.
As water quantity drops, especially in places experiencing rising demand from rapid population growth, the competition intensifies. Nowhere is this more destabilizing than in countries sharing transboundary aquifers. Transboundary water cooperation is crucial for regional stability and conflict prevention. Yet only 24 countries have cooperation agreements for their shared water.
For World Water Day today, we take a look at some of the places that share H2O.
