War and Water Security Challenges along the Orontes River in Syria. Understanding how wars affect water security is key to developing robust policies and practical solutions to protect civilians and the environment they depend on. In this new report on the Orontes River in Syria, PAX provides an in-depth analysis of how water resources face a myriad of challenges caused by armed conflict.
Over twelve years of war in Syria have seriously degraded water sources, affecting people, livelihoods and ecosystems. One under-reported affected water resource is the Orontes—the second-largest river—and its basin in the west of the country. To provide insights into the complexity of this lifeline for millions of people, PAX’s new report “Thirst for Peace: War and Water Security Challenges along the Orontes River in Syria” examines how the conflict has degraded the availability and quality of water resources over the past decade and has compounded the precarious effects of climate change. This study provides a broad analysis using open-source data and remote sensing on various water issues and recommendations for the international community to address the challenges around water insecurity in the Orontes Basin to improve water access, water management, and sanitation services for affected communities.
