Last year saw uptick in violence over water, new report suggests

A new report shows a staggering increase in water-related violence in 2023 compared to the year before. In an update to its Water Conflict Chronology, the US-based water rights think tank the Pacific Institute found a sharp uptick in the number of violent disputes over water, including incidents where “water was used as a weapon of war.” In a world where many lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation, Pacific Institute co-founder Peter Gleick tells host Carolyn Beeler that it’s not just a lack of water, but a failure of institutions to properly manage the supply.