Bridging Gaps in Water Governance: Addressing Conflict and Climate Challenges

This policy brief by the Peace Research Institute Oslo examines the disconnect between national-level water diplomacy and local-level water disputes, particularly in regions affected by armed conflict and climate change. It argues that while transboundary treaties provide macro-level frameworks, they often fail to address local allocation issues, which can be exacerbated by environmental stressors and political instability. The document advocates for a multi-level governance approach that integrates grassroots initiatives, technological innovation, and scientific research to build climate resilience and prevent conflict.

• There is a significant governance gap where national water diplomacy and transboundary treaties fail to resolve local-level water disputes, such as those between urban and rural populations or agricultural communities over irrigation.
• Regions experiencing both armed conflict and climate change are at a higher risk of water scarcity, as wars destroy critical infrastructure and environmental stressors like drought amplify intergroup tensions.
• Armed conflict causes immediate health crises through the destruction of water pipes and treatment plants, and creates long-term vulnerabilities by contaminating aquifers and hindering the ability of communities to adapt to climate challenges.
• Resource scarcity driven by climate change can reduce altruism and increase in-group bias, leading individuals to prioritize their own community over others, which can deepen existing social divisions.
• Grassroots and informal water-sharing agreements, such as those used by pastoralists in the Sahel or village committees in India, show potential for mitigating conflict but often lack the formal national support or legal frameworks needed to scale.
• Technological tools like satellite monitoring and AI can improve water governance by providing real-time data, but they are not a complete solution if systemic issues like corruption, low trust, or unequal access persist.

APA

Döring, S. (2025). Bridging Gaps in Water Governance: Addressing Conflict and Climate Challenges. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/5aba794e-2b79-4e45-b1c0-9bc29aecc0ab/PRIO Policy Brief 1 2025.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Döring, Stefan. Bridging Gaps in Water Governance: Addressing Conflict and Climate Challenges. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2025. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/5aba794e-2b79-4e45-b1c0-9bc29aecc0ab/PRIO Policy Brief 1 2025.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Döring |first1=Stefan |title=Bridging Gaps in Water Governance: Addressing Conflict and Climate Challenges |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2025 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/5aba794e-2b79-4e45-b1c0-9bc29aecc0ab/PRIO Policy Brief 1 2025.pdf?inline=true |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dring2025bridging, author = {Döring, Stefan}, title = {{Bridging Gaps in Water Governance: Addressing Conflict and Climate Challenges}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2025}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/5aba794e-2b79-4e45-b1c0-9bc29aecc0ab/PRIO Policy Brief 1 2025.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }