Freshwater Scarcity and Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia

Growing water scarcity can spawn geopolitical conflicts in fragile regions. This is already evident in the growing trend of turning water into tradable finance instruments, such as futures contracts on stock or commodities exchanges in certain advanced nations. The dominant explanation for this trend of water scarcity leading to outright conflict is increased population and climate change. Previous research on this topic has used a meta-analysis in conjunction with human-water system case studies, employing qualitative comparison analysis to identify water resource system outcomes and the elements that drive them. Much of the research focused on highlighting the location and nature of these worldwide consequences. According to the study, some parts of the world will experience water emergencies. This paper synthesises findings from recent interdisciplinary case study research on water supply to provide a geopolitical perspective on the nature of water shortage and how it affects political stability and civil unrest in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.