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.

New Report: Climate Security Scenarios in the Balkans

The Balkans region will experience significant climate change-related hazards, including droughts, heatwaves, tropical storms, and wildfires. Given the region’s reliance on hydropower, and its position as a highly trafficked land route for migration to the European Union, these climate impacts could result in cascading security risks. In an interactive scenario exercise hosted by the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS) Expert Group, adelphi, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at the Berlin Climate Security Conference - hosted by adelphi and the German Federal Foreign Office - in October 2022, exercise participants identified two of the most important, or diagnostic, and uncertain drivers of change in the region – primary external investment sources (e.g. European Union [EU]/NATO or China) and regional cohesion. Participants then created four future scenarios which explored how these drivers would combine with climate impacts to create security risks. Analysis of these scenarios yielded five key recommendations for NATO countries and EU leaders: 

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CSR Announces New Staff, Internal Moves

Continuing a trajectory of rapid growth, the Council on Strategic Risks is pleased to announce a new round of hires across its programs and role changes for existing staff.  The Center for Climate and Climate and Security (CCS) added expertise across its portfolios, bringing on Tom Ellison, Patricia Parera, and Michael Zarfos to analyze ecological security risks and advance progress in addressing security threats posed by climate change. The Converging Risks Lab also welcomed Lily Boland as a new team member.