Water Weaponization: Its Forms, Its Use in the Russia-Ukraine War, and What to Do About It

Water has been associated with conflict and cooperation between states since the beginning of recorded history. In ancient Mesopotamia, a conflict over the Euphrates River between two Sumerian cities yielded the world’s first recorded treaty. However, water has just as often been weaponized during conflict—water weaponization being the exploitation of the human need for water, by deliberately rendering it scarce and/ or insecure. This briefer will highlight the core elements of water weaponization, and then assess its practice in the Russia-Ukraine war to date.

Event Summary: Advancing Biomanufacturing: U.S. Policies and Plans

On May 16th, The Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) hosted an event on the federal government’s strategy for driving innovation in biomanufacturing. The panel event featured expert perspectives from Dr. Georgia Lagoudas, Mr. Maynard Holliday, and Dr. Anup Singh. The panelists discussed how the federal interagency is positioning itself to capitalize on the transformative effects of biotechnology through investments in biomanufacturing.