This Week at ISN

15 - 19 October 2012 Water is becoming an increasingly precious commodity in a world affected by climate change, environmental degradation and other border-defying problems. This week we focus on international efforts to safeguard water security.

Water Security in a Changing World

Water Scarcity: The Real and Virtual Problems
15 Oct 2012

Climate change is likely to remain the major factor behind water insecurity over the coming decades. Yet, as Ben Zala reveals, a number of 'virtual' factors, ranging from industrial-scale production to perceptions of scarcity, may also contribute to water conflicts in the near to mid-term. More Are We Destined to Fight over Scarce Water Resources?
16 Oct 2012

Are current international agreements strong enough to prevent future conflicts over water? Scott Moore argues that if conflict is defined as interstate warfare, then international agreements have effectively contained disputes in the past and will continue to do so in the immediate future. More "Water Wars": Past, Present and Future
17 Oct 2012

Conflict over freshwater resources has occurred for thousands of years, but the historical record includes only one verifiable instance of a genuine water war. According to Ken Conca and our partners at the CSIS and IDSA in this multimedia feature, this pattern is unlikely to change dramatically in the future. More Water Conflicts in the Middle East
18 Oct 2012

Despite its notable lack of resources, water has rarely formed the basis for conflict throughout the Middle East, or so argues Hannu Juusola. However, climate change and extreme weather conditions point to a future in which water disputes may trigger conflict, most notably between Israel and its immediate neighbors. More A Blueprint for Managing Water Conflicts
19 Oct 2012

The number of international water conflicts is increasing, raising questions about how governments can effectively manage them. In this podcast, Salman MA Salman shares his insights on this issue from more than 30 years of working as a water lawyer. More

Security Watch
Confusion Down Under: Australia and the US Pivot to Asia
15 Oct 2012

In light of President Obama's highly publicized pivot to Asia, Australia's decision to slash its defense budgets has left many observers confused. As a result, both the United States and Australia need to clarify what they expect from their alliance in the future, or so argues Mark Thomson. More Western Sahara: It's Time for the People to Choose
16 Oct 2012

The intra-state conflict between Morocco and Western Sahara has been unaffected by the Arab Spring and

remains neglected by the wider international community. This situation, argues Carne Ross, has allowed the humanitarian situation and prospects for peace in Western Sahara to continue drifting aimlessly. More What Could Myanmar Learn from Indonesia? The Malino Accord
17 Oct 2012

Conflicts between Muslims and Christians have the potential to undermine the security and stability of Southeast Asia. In the particular case of Myanmar, the International Crisis Groups Jim Della-Giacoma argues that the country could learn from the successes of Indonesias peace-building processes. More The 'Third Track': US Military Moves in Persian Gulf
18 Oct 2012

The United States continues to pursue a dual track strategy in order to thwart Irans nuclear program. Although it has increased its military presence in the Persian Gulf, the build-up has failed to ease regional tensions or prevent continued demands for a more robust Israeli response, or so argues Sam Rajiv. More "Winning the Peace" in Mindanao
19 Oct 2012

The Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) is at the forefront of the Philippines Armed Forces' efforts to combat terrorism and armed insurgency across the archipelago. Gordon Arthur analyzes the contribution WestMinCom has made to operations along Asia's 'second front' in the 'War on Terror'. More

ISN Blog
Under the Radar: The Territorial Dispute Between Guatemala and Belize
15 Oct 2012

Guatemala and Belize have been arguing over territorial boundaries since the 19th century. While past negotiations have failed to resolve these disputes, submitting the present one to the International Court of Justice raises hopes for improved regional security, writes Hannah Stadlober. More Intervention in Mali: Does R2P Apply?
16 Oct 2012

The international community has yet to respond to the growing and increasingly violent crisis in Mali. James Rudolph suggests that the community could use the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) as a conceptual framework to help shape its response. More US Presidential Elections: What Role for Foreign and Security Policy?
17 Oct 2012

How influential will foreign affairs be on the outcome of the upcoming US presidential election? In our most recent ISN-CSS roundtable discussion, we talked to four experts about how US foreign and security policies are or are not shaping the current race for the White House. More The West's Uncertain Trade Relations with East Asia
18 Oct 2012

The Swiss-Japanese Economic Partnership Agreement has exceeded expectations and boosted commercial ties between both countries. However, at a recent symposium in Zurich there were warnings that similar attempts to duplicate this success by other Western nations with other Asian states might not yield similar results. More Occupy Eyes the Drones
19 Oct 2012

The United States continued strategic reliance upon Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the War on Terror is not surprising. However, as Chrisella Sagers notes, Occupy Wall Street activists now accuse the US government of using drones to track them during protests, thus prompting a wave of criticism from the movement. More

Videos
China in Transition Stratfor's Vice President of East Asia Analysis Rodger Baker discusses the political and economic challenges that lie ahead for China following its leadership transition next month. More

Water and Sustainable Land Use in the Wakhan Valley This video from the UNU depicts how farmers in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are collaborating with scientists and advisors from the Sustainable Land Management in the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai Mountains (PALM) project to preserve this unique landscape and its globally important biodiversity. More Securing Asia's Water Future At the launch of the Asia Society Leadership Group's report on Water Security in Asia, Jeffrey Sachs proposes three concrete steps to further the reports recommendations. More

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