The next war, according to the doom-mongers, will be fought over oil. But could water provide the flashpoint instead? The question is no longer outlandish.

Around the world there are signs that competition for dwindling water supplies is producing conflict or the threat of conflict. Notably, water is at the heart of Middle East tensions, touching Israel and the Palestinian territories, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. All have rights to the Jordan river on which they rely for agriculture, drinking and sanitation.