Denpasar. Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Alue Dohong, expressed concern that clean water could become a trigger for wars in the future due to diminishing availability caused by environmental issues.

"Clean water might be a cause of future wars. We won't be fighting over fossil fuels in the future, but over water," Alue disclosed during the Environmental Professional Body Convention, as reported by Antara on Saturday (27/4).

The availability of clean water is set to be a primary focus at the 10th World Water Forum (WWF), scheduled to take place from May 18-25, 2024, in Badung, Bali.

Alue noted the decreasing availability over time, citing Africa as an example and suggesting that similar scenarios could unfold in other continents. The depletion of clean water for daily needs is becoming more acute, given the current domination of waste and other forms of pollution in rivers, soil, etc.

"People need to drink clean water to survive. So, rather than dying, one might as well fight for it," he said.

This scenario, he continued, poses a challenge for environmental engineers to develop affordable water management techniques for the public.

Engineers have the task to purify water sources currently laden with trash and waste, to prevent potential future water wars, according to Alue. "Engineers can develop affordable water treatment methods. Clean water is crucial, and currently, rivers and soil have become waste disposal sites," Alue stated.