Why Might We Fight? International Resource Conflicts and Water Security in South America

• Main Authors: Milton Carlos Bragatti, Maria Luísa Telarolli de Almeida Leite
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Editorial Neogranadina 2020-07-01
• Series: Revista de Relaciones Internacionales, Estrategia y Seguridad
• Online Access: https://revistas.unimilitar.edu.co/index.php/ries/article/view/4284

In a context of accelerated climate change, increasing scarcity, and global population growth, environmental issues and natural resources have become a matter of heightened concern for international security. Competition for access to and use of scarce natural resources are increasingly part of the nations’ geostrategic policies. South America, one of the richest regions in the world in terms of natural resources, especially water, attracts the international interest. This article builds up a picture of such water resources and presents evidence suggesting the urgent need for more effective cooperation among South American states to establish guidelines for the management and defense of the region’s natural wealth.