“We have created a hydroclimatic bomb"

TheRecord - War over water becoming more likely, experts told

TORONTO — The potential for violent conflict to erupt over fresh water is rising as the global population grows against a backdrop of climate change, an experts’ forum heard Tuesday.

Until now, speakers said, disputes over water have typically led to co-operation between affected parties but higher demand and lower supplies could alter that pattern for the worse.

“Water resources in themselves have rarely been the sole source of conflict or war,” said Bob Sandford, a Canadian water-policy expert. “Unfortunately, our global water situation is changing rapidly and may soon no longer resemble anything that has existed on earth before.”
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“We have created a hydroclimatic bomb, and that bomb has started to tick,” Sandford said. “But we don’t know how big the bomb is or where or when it will go off.”