Impacts of armed conflicts on water can be significant and long-lasting, including direct and indirect pollution of water sources, destruction of infrastructure, disruption of water access for civilians, leakage of salts, toxic materials and heavy metals into freshwater that has long-lasting and yet unknown consequences to human health and the environment, as well as potential weaponization of water by deliberately rendering it scarce and/or insecure, leading to health risks and environmental damage, particularly in areas with existing water scarcity problems.
This webinar will discuss the nature of the impacts of armed conflicts on water resources, types of pressures on the water sector and policies to address them, negative health and environmental consequences due to the lack of access to clean water for the civilian population, and human rights and accountability aspects.
The webinar will be moderated by Prof. Cecilia Tortajada, School of Social and Environmental Sustainability, University of Glasgow. The panel members are Dr Carl Bruch, Environmental Law Institute, Washington, D.C., Prof. Marcos A. Orellana, American University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C., and Dr Mara Tignino, University of Geneva and Geneva Water Hub, Geneva.
