Water-related conflicts nearly quadrupled since 2020, hitting record 420 in 2024, as World Water Week convenes

Water-related conflicts rose to a record 420 incidents in 2024 — a 78 per cent increase from 235 in 2022 — according to the Pacific Institute's Water Conflict Chronology, with 55 per cent driven by attacks on water infrastructure and 28 per cent triggered by scarcity and access disputes. The surge is largely driven by armed conflicts in regions such as the Middle East, where water is both a casualty and a weapon of war, including deliberate destruction of treatment plants, wells and pipelines. The findings were highlighted as the World Water Week conference opened on 23 August 2026 in Stockholm under the theme "Water for People and Progress," organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute.