Is Water the Next Geopolitical Battle?

May 7, 2026 | Tony Maciulis
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This spring, the World Bank launched a new initiative to tackle a growing problem plaguing the world’s most fundamental resource: water. The program, dubbed Water Forward, is aiming to improve water access for 1 billion people over the next four years, as the resource comes under strain. More than 70% of the earth’s surface is covered in good old H2O, so it would seem there’s plenty to go around. But the vast majority, at least 97%, is contained in the oceans as saltwater. The growing scarcity of freshwater for drinking, cooking, industrial, and agricultural uses is quickly moving water up as a global risk. In fact, our parent company, Eurasia Group, added it to its Top Risks list for 2026 as “The water weapon.”