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.

Briefer: The Devil’s in the Deep: Marine Fisheries, Ecological Tipping Point Risks, and Maritime Security

For countries and communities reliant on ocean resources, the combined ramifications of habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, pollution, resource depletion, and the mounting effects of global climate change could be considerable, jeopardizing the livelihoods, security, and welfare of millions of people.

Briefer: How the United States Can Prevent the Weaponization of Climate Migration in a Warming World: A Humane Approach

This briefer explores the complex and multicausal drivers of migration–from escaping violence to displacement caused by climate change–and suggests how the United States can reform its immigration policies to mitigate the risks of weaponized climate-driven migration.

Briefer: The Forgotten Countries in the “Muddy Middle” of Climate Security Risk: A Case for Addressing the Gap

This Briefer explores the limits of such rankings, examines the various climate-security risks of those countries in the "muddy middle," and suggests analytical framing that can help reinforce the visibility of those risks faced in such countries.

Briefer: Breaking Silos—Climate Change, Security, and Humanitarian Action—Roundtable Summary

The convergence of climate change, security, and humanitarian action, including in places affected by conflict, demands nuanced consideration and dialogue among decision makers at all levels. In response to this need for dialogue, the Center for Climate and Security (CCS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) brought together representatives from a variety of U.S. government agencies as well as academic institutions, think tanks, and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) approaching these issues from different but complementary vantage points.

Briefer: Deepening U.S. Climate Security Ambition: A Road Map for 2023

By Brigitte Hugh and Erin Sikorsky In 2022, the world faced the challenging reality of the nexus of climate change and security on a daily basis. From deadly floods, heatwaves, and droughts across nearly every continent, to an energy and…