Safeguard water infrastructure amid conflict.
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| Title: | Safeguard water infrastructure amid conflict. |
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| Authors: | Xiao, Xue (AUTHOR), Tao, Yichen (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Science. 5/7/2026, Vol. 392 Issue 6798, p587-587. 1p. |
| Subjects: | Water security, Humanitarian law, Environmental infrastructure, Climate change, Food security, Public health, Battlefields, United Nations, Infrastructure (Economics) |
| Abstract: | The article focuses on the vulnerability of water infrastructure in conflict zones, highlighting how deliberate attacks and disrupted maintenance exacerbate public health and food security crises, especially in regions already facing climate stress. Examples include targeted strikes on desalination plants in Iran and Bahrain, and the degradation of water systems in Ukraine and Gaza, which lead to waterborne diseases and ecological instability. Despite international humanitarian law prohibiting attacks on civilian water infrastructure, enforcement is weak. The article advocates for enhanced protection measures, such as global mapping of critical water facilities by organizations like NASA and the European Space Agency, the establishment of UN-designated water neutrality zones, and the use of space-based forensic hydrology to provide evidence for accountability in conflicts. [Extracted from the article] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | The article focuses on the vulnerability of water infrastructure in conflict zones, highlighting how deliberate attacks and disrupted maintenance exacerbate public health and food security crises, especially in regions already facing climate stress. Examples include targeted strikes on desalination plants in Iran and Bahrain, and the degradation of water systems in Ukraine and Gaza, which lead to waterborne diseases and ecological instability. Despite international humanitarian law prohibiting attacks on civilian water infrastructure, enforcement is weak. The article advocates for enhanced protection measures, such as global mapping of critical water facilities by organizations like NASA and the European Space Agency, the establishment of UN-designated water neutrality zones, and the use of space-based forensic hydrology to provide evidence for accountability in conflicts. [Extracted from the article] |
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| ISSN: | 00368075 |
| DOI: | 10.1126/science.aeh5255 |
