Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Thursday that future conflicts will center around water resources, mirroring past struggles over oil.
Water as the New Strategic Resource
President Erdogan asserted that water is becoming the most strategic and valuable resource in the 21st century, essential for both production and energy.
He pointed to increasing competition for power in all spheres as a driving force behind this shift, citing current conflicts as early indicators of this trend.
Global Water Stressors
Erdogan highlighted the pressures on water resources stemming from climate change, drought, population growth, rapid urbanization, and industrialization.
He noted that Turkey receives an average of 574 millimeters of rainfall annually, significantly less than the global average of 990 millimeters.
Call for Water Conservation
The Turkish President urged citizens and institutions to conserve water and use it responsibly, emphasizing the need to avoid wasting water from both taps and rivers.
Turkey’s Water Infrastructure Investments
Since 2002, Turkey has constructed 805 dams, over 500 artificial reservoirs, nearly 2,000 irrigation facilities, and almost 400 water purification plants.
These efforts have increased the country’s water storage capacity by 896 million cubic meters, according to the President.
The Urgency of Water Management
Erdogan emphasized the necessity of protecting, efficiently utilizing, and properly managing water resources before they reach a point of depletion.