Conflict Due To Climate Change Could Become A Reality In Euphrates Basin: A Report

The European Union has revealed in a report, the possibility for conflict in the Middle East due to climate change. The report prepared by the European Union Cascades project, reveals some striking findings, stating “Climate Change and Water Report for the Tigris and Euphrates Basin.”

As per their findings, the climate change in future will affect the water resources, which in further is expected to create economic and political challenges in the Euphrates-Tigris basin shared by the countries of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey.

Farming and other livelihood is depending on the water, with the expected climatic changes, there will be severe water shortages and water quality problems in future. This in-turn will lead to other issues like food scarcity, poverty, insecurities, and unemployment in rural farming regions, and this will eventually lead to displacement and internal migration at a larger scale than is seen today.”

Considering the findings of the report, the expected changes in climate change would aggravate the already existing water-related challenges, that were already significant in the region of Iraq and Syria. 

“If the riparian states are unable to scale up cross-border action in managing water, in contrast, climate change will intensify water insecurity in the future,” the report said, noting that this development may fuel social turmoil in the region.

In the report, it is also said that Turkey’s adaptive capacity, however, is considerably greater than those of the other riparian states.”

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA)—the most water-scarce region in the world, have faced the most adverse effects of climate change in the planet. In another report, done in 2018, it is mentioned that in MENA, “more than 60% of the population has little or no access to drinkable water and over 70% of the region’s GDP is exposed to high or very high-water stress.”

Water, being the most essential commodity for human survival, energy and food production, and socioeconomic development, the consequences of hydro-insecurity are especially problematic for a region that, in recent history, has been beset with profound political instability and conflict. natural and human forces are likely to worsen their hydro-insecurity, in the process straining the already-fragile economic, social, and political conditions of each state. Ultimately, this exacerbates both internal and transboundary unrest and conflict in a dangerous cycle.