ZEF Public Lecture: Thirst Wars

February 23, 2023 | 13:30 h - 14:30 h

We would like to invite you to the ZEF Public Lecture.

Topic: Thirst Wars

Speaker: Dr.  Esra Aleisa (Associate Professor, Kuwait University)

The presentation is in hybrid mode. You are welcome to join us at the Center for Development Research / ZEF (conference room on the groundfloor), Genscherallee 3, 53113 Bonn or you can join us online:

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://uni-bonn.zoom.us/meeting/register/u5Akc-2gqDwiHtaefF4VaVFkuDQbBhVD2jxu

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Abstract

Fourteen years ago in Bonn, a historical milestone, decision IX/19 urged ratifying international water agreements, to implement the provisions of the Biological Diversity (CBD) ninth convention. This decision emphasized the need for a regulatory framework, political dimension and international cooperation regarding shared water bodies. It highlighted the nexus between transboundary water bodies management, biodiversity conservation, human well-being and sustainability. Over the course of the past decade, the conflict over shared water resources was amplified. Since 2020 only, over 200 water conflict incidences were recorded by the Water Conflict Chronology. This presentation discussed lurking conflicts over transboundary water bodies that are brewing faster than ever over and their implications. For instance, the Arab-Israeli conflict by the latest water agreement signed during COP27 in 2022, the Egyptian and Ethiopian conflict, the Turkish, Syrian and Iraqi conflict, the Iranian-Afghan conflict, the Pakistani, Afghani, and Indian conflict, the Kyrgyz-Uzbek water disputes, among others are presented.

Biography:

Dr. Esra Aleisa is an Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at Kuwait University. She received her Master’s and Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She has completed projects in post-war environmental remediation, and projects in cleaner production in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). She has worked as an author for UNESCO for Science, technology and innovation, and UNESCO water reports. She is a certified project manager (PMP). She is currently a consultant at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and part of the Peer2Peer transboundary water management. She is the founder of the “from her we shall set sail” education initiative”.