IL GRANO E L’ACQUA SFIDE GEOPOLITICHE ANTICHE, PRESENTI E FUTURE WHEAT AND WATER ANCIENT, PRESENT AND FUTURE GEOPOLITICAL CHALLENGES
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Politica globale nella gestione delle risorse idriche e lotta al deficit idrico / Global policy in water management and the fight against hydro deficit
Giuseppe Anzera (Università di Roma, Facoltà di Scienze Politiche, Sociologia, Comunicazione)
ABSTRACTThe sustainable management of water resources represents one of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century, increasingly exacerbated by climate change, population growth, and the overexploitation of freshwater ecosystems. Contemporary global water policies aim to address hydrodeficit through integrated strategies that combine multi-level governance, technological innovation, and international cooperation.
Both the quality and quantity of available water are declining due to anthropogenic pressures and climatic variability. Currently, 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed regions, including 733 million across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In response, institutions such as the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Bank have developed regulatory frameworks and financial instruments—most notably the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation)—to promote equitable and efficient water governance. Key strategies include adaptive management, nature-based solutions, digital technologies for real-time monitoring, and circular economy principles applied to the water sector.
This article critically examines global water policies and their capacity to reduce the widening gap between water availability and demand. Adopting an interdisciplinary lens that integrates environmental, economic, and social dimensions, the analysis aims to assess whether current and emerging governance models are capable of ensuring long-term water security in an increasingly complex global landscape.
KEYWORDS: Water management, Global policy, International Relations. -
Cambiamento climatico e sicurezza nell’area mediterranea. La criticità dei tre principali bacini fossili sotterranei: North Western Sahara Aquifer System, Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System, Iullemeden Aquifer System
Claudio Bertolotti (CSPCO, Ricercatore della Difesa; START InSight, Direttore)
ABSTRACTThe Mediterranean region is highly vulnerable to climate change, with far-reaching environmental, economic, and social consequences linked to water access capabilities in North Africa and the Sahel region. Water plays a crucial role in geopolitics, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where resource scarcity can exacerbate interstate tensions.
This article examines water as both a tool of power and a potential source of instability in the North Africa and Sahel region, focusing on three major transboundary fossil aquifers: the North Western Sahara Aquifer System (NWSS/SASS), the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS), and the Iullemeden Aquifer System (IAS). The study finds that the NSAS is the most geopolitically sensitive due to Egypt and Libya’s competing interests, while the SASS benefits from more advanced cooperation mechanisms despite ongoing challenges. The IAS faces significant risks linked to climate-induced desertification and demographic pressures.
Finally, this article underscores the need for integrated policies that align water security with broader regional stability efforts. Effective management of transboundary aquifers in North Africa is essential to mitigating conflict risks and ensuring long-term resilience in a climate-stressed Mediterranean.
KEYWORDS: Climate Change and Security, Water Scarcity, Mediterranean Environmental Vulnerability. -
Food and Water Security in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries: Geopolitical Challenges in a Context of Climate Change
Irene Bosco, Giovanni Canitano (Istituto di studi sul Mediterraneo del CNR – CNR-ISMed)
ABSTRACTSouthern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries (SEMCs) are among the most food-import-dependent regions globally. Recent food price crises (2007-08, 2010-11, 2020-22, and 2023-24) demonstrated the region’s vulnerability to market fluctuations, geopolitical instability, and climate change. This study explores the water-food nexus in SEMCs, emphasizing its geopolitical implications. The promotion of water-intensive agricultural practices has led to unsustainable production models, increasing dependence on food imports.
Beyond food security, the study investigates hydropolitical tensions, analysing disputes over transboundary water resources such as the Nile, Tigris-Euphrates basin, and non-renewable fossil aquifers. Large-scale dam and irrigation projects have become instruments of geopolitical influence, reshaping regional power dynamics. To address these challenges, the study advocates for sustainable agricultural transformation focusing on water-saving technologies and policy reforms.
KEYWORDS: Mediterranean, Food, Water. -
Eastern Nile Basin’s Hydro Politics: Understanding the GERD and Egyptian Fears
Marco Centaro (Vision and Global Trends)
ABSTRACTThis work explores current water dynamics and politics in the Eastern Nile River Basin to unveil what phenomena threaten water availability and what role the GERD (Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam) plays regarding Egypt’s water security. While aiming to strengthen Addis Ababa’s energy production, the dam is perceived to threaten Cairo’s downstream flow.
A deeper analysis reveals that other forces, such as growing population and unpredictable repercussions of droughts caused by climate change, combine with the impact of the GERD. In this context, Egyptian fears are justified by the lack of cooperation among involved states. This work draws attention to these challenges, outlining sensitive topics that should be monitored to prevent humanitarian conditions from deteriorating.
KEYWORDS: Eastern Nile River Basin, GERD, water scarcity. -
The impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on wheat trade and Global South
Alberto Cossu (Vision & Global Trends. International Institute for Global Analyses – Progetto Società Italiana di Geopolitica)
ABSTRACTThe article studies how the trade of wheat affects the Global South, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Wheat is a critical staple for many nations; the disruption of supplies has led to increased prices and heightened food insecurity in regions such as Egypt, Lebanon, and Pakistan. In response, southern countries have sought to diversify their wheat suppliers, including alternative sources from Argentina and Europe.
The findings highlight the intricate relationship between agricultural trade and geopolitical stability, underscoring the need for southern countries to develop strategies that enhance food security and reduce vulnerability to global market fluctuations through multinational cooperation and improved infrastructure.
KEYWORDS: Food Security, Geopolitics, Wheat Trade, Global South. -
Grano e cambiamenti climatici: impatti sulla sicurezza alimentare e sui modelli di consumo / Wheat and Climate Change: Impacts on Food Security and Consumption Patterns
Antonella Del Fiore, Federica Colucci, Chiara Nobili, Maurizio Notarfonso, Ombretta Presenti, Mariella Nocenzi (ENEA Casaccia Research Center; Sapienza University of Rome; University of Modena and Reggio Emilia)
ABSTRACTWheat accounts for approximately 28% of global cereal production and is the primary source of protein and energy for many developing countries. Climate change poses a serious threat to production due to extreme weather events, leading to supply instability. Moreover, wheat consumption changes are observed because of consumer behaviors driven by health and wellness trends.
This work analyzes the role of wheat in global food security and explores sustainable agricultural practices, advanced technologies, and crop breeding improvements. It highlights the importance of an intersectional analytical strategy to investigate social trends and harmonizing regulations to ensure accessible distribution to all populations.
KEYWORDS: wheat; food security; intersectional analytical strategy. -
Intelligenza artificiale, acqua e derivati finanziari sulle commodity in Israele: resilienza idrica e stabilità dei costi in un contesto di volatilità geopolitica / Artificial Intelligence, water, and commodity financial derivatives in Israel: water resilience and cost stability amid geopolitical volatility
Alessandro Giorgetta (Università degli Studi di Roma Guglielmo Marconi)
ABSTRACTIn Israel, an OECD country with low per capita water availability, food security depends on the integration of technological innovation and financial instruments. Agriculture employs precision irrigation based on artificial intelligence (reducing consumption by 25–35%), while agri-food companies use financial derivatives to contain cost volatility by up to 60%. These achievements are framed within a complex regulatory environment (Water Law, Privacy Reform, EU AI Act). The analysis highlights how the 2023–2025 geopolitical context has tested this model, revealing the need for inclusive policies for small producers.
KEYWORDS: Artificial Intelligence, water, financial derivatives. -
La (geo)politica nordafricana del grano / The North African (geo)politics of wheat
A. Roberta La Fortezza (University of Siena)
ABSTRACTWheat remains a key factor in global geopolitics and national socio-political balances, especially in North Africa. In recent years, the region has seen a contraction in local production due to climatic factors (Morocco, Algeria) and conflicts (Libya). The war in Ukraine underlined the correlation between food stability and international dynamics. The rise in bread costs, largely subsidized by the state, has impacted public finances and social stability. Historical events like the “bread riots” of 1977 and the 2011 Arab Spring demonstrate the link between food insecurity and political upheavals.
KEYWORDS: North Africa, Food Security, Wheat. -
L’uso dell’acqua in agricoltura tra sostenibilità e necessità di sviluppo
Michele Lippiello (Ministero dell’Istruzione), Francesco Zecca (Università di Roma La Sapienza)
ABSTRACTThis paper highlights the need for policies and regulations able to guarantee sustainable use of water resources as an essential factor of economic development, especially for agriculture. To achieve the objective, the study conducts a qualitative analysis regarding the modalities of resource use and the impacts connected to it. The contribution concludes with a discussion aimed at highlighting the priority adjustments deemed necessary to ensure the long-term stabilization of water resource use.
KEYWORDS: Water, Agriculture, Policies. -
Contesto idrico e settore agroalimentare in Asia centrale: sfide e criticità
Giuliano Luongo (Università Mercatorum, Roma – Università Telematica Pegaso)
ABSTRACTCentral Asia is characterized by a high dependence on water for the agri-food sector. Management is complex due to Soviet legacies (intensive irrigation) colliding with climate change and increasing demand. Water-intensive crops like cotton and wheat aggravate environmental degradation. This article analyzes the fragmented governance and socio-economic implications of current strategies, offering a reflection on possible solutions for more sustainable water management to ensure regional food security.
KEYWORDS: Central Asia, food security, water crisis. -
Grano e acqua. Ovvero, geopolitica della sopravvivenza / Grain and water: The geopolitics of survival
Giuseppe Romeo (Università di Torino)
ABSTRACTFifty years after “The Limits to Growth” (1972), the Russian-Ukrainian crisis has demonstrated how the grain issue represents a paradigmatic example of food supply in international relations. Equally, the water issue appears as a strategic problem. Unequal distribution, access costs, and pollution become crisis factors that determine the confrontation for a precious element essential for the survival of mankind.
KEYWORDS: water; resources; development. -
Idropolitica nel Corno d’Africa e nello scenario saheliano: l’intercorrelazione esistente tra geopolitica e natura / Hydro-politics in the Horn of Africa and the Sahelian Scenario
Luigi Tortora (Università degli studi di Napoli “Federico II”)
ABSTRACTHydro-politics is used as an analytical tool to understand how power shapes water demand. This analysis focuses on case studies: the GERD dam (tensions between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt), the Gilgel Gibe III dam (forced villagization of tribes), and Lake Chad (hub of the environment-conflict nexus). The study finds that sustainable management requires a deeper understanding of the rhetoric on water security.
KEYWORDS: Hydro-politics, Africa, Water infrastructure. -
Il fenomeno del terrorismo e il delicato tema dell’indottrinamento minorile
Cristina Colombo (Università di Roma Tor Vergata), Rebecca Viscomi (Tribunale per i Minorenni di Roma)
ABSTRACTThis article analyzes jihadist extremism and the indoctrination of minors. Using Orsini’s DRIA model, the authors explore radicalization dynamics and the psychological mechanisms that facilitate violent adherence. A central section focuses on the recruitment of children by ISIS, manipulated through ideological schooling and exposure to violence. The study concludes that counterterrorism must integrate educational and psychological strategies.
KEYWORDS: jihadist terrorism, child indoctrination, radicalization. -
Territorialità del diritto e globalizzazione: dimensione terrestre e marittima, immigrazione, tecnologie digitali e spaziali
Alberto Cossu (Vision & Global Trends), Vanni Piras (ISSR Sassari/Tempio-Ampurias)
ABSTRACTThe migration phenomenon and Big Tech (Google, Amazon) challenge traditional legal principles of territoriality. This research analyzes how contemporary law adapts to global scenarios, examining the impact of migration on legal systems and the need for legal instruments to harmonize different international contexts in an interconnected world.
KEYWORDS: international law, principle of territoriality, digital, space. -
Qualitatively New Challenges, Encroachments, and Attacks on the Polycentric World Order and Their Logic
Mark L. Entin (MGIMO University), Ekaterina G. Entina (Higher School of Economics, Moscow)
ABSTRACTWith the return of Donald Trump, world politics enters a transformational period aimed at reformatting the world order to suit unilateral interests. The article assesses the elements of US policy and the reaction of the EU and China. It argues for the defense of the UN Charter and modern international law against unilateral transformations, promoting a “human civilization” first approach.
KEYWORDS: Constitutionalization of the UN Charter, unilateral transformation, US strategy, EU and China response. -
Les BRICS veulent-il réinventer le Monde?
Djawed Sangdel (Swiss UMEF University), Hicheme Lehmici (Swiss UMEF)
ABSTRACTThis article explores the rise of BRICS+ and its potential to reshape global governance. Analyzing de-dollarization strategies (BRICS Pay) and control over strategic resources, the study assesses internal rivalries (China-India) and Northern skepticism. It argues that success depends on building institutional credibility and a shared strategic vision.
KEYWORDS: BRICS, de-dollarization, geopolitical positioning. -
Indian Knowledge System and Greek Concepts of Sophrosyne and Encrateia: A Comparative Analysis
Alberto Cossu (Vision & Global Trends), Rajendra Deshpande (Central University of Gujarat)
ABSTRACTA comparative analysis of Indian, Persian, and Western cultures, focusing on Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Kautilya. It contrasts the Greek concepts of sophrosyne and encrateia with the Indian Sthitpradnya, exploring how cultural systems influence a state’s power and individual ethics in leadership.
KEYWORDS: Self Control, India, Persia Empire, sophrosyne, encrateia, Shitpradnya. -
Adapting EU disability rights mechanisms to Central Asian legal systems: a comparative analysis
Said Gulyamov (Tashkent State University of Law)
ABSTRACTThis research examines EU frameworks as models for disability rights in Central Asia. Using legal transplant theory, it identifies obstacles like institutional practices and limited resources. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan show the highest reform potential. The study provides a ten-year roadmap for rights realization.
KEYWORDS: disability rights, Central Asia, European Union law, legal harmonization. -
La fluida rilevanza dell’acqua / The Fluid Significance of Water
Gino Lanzara (Geopolitica.Info – Roma)
ABSTRACTWater stands as a strategic resource and a factor of geopolitical power. Scarcity exacerbated by climate change fuels tensions. This study explores symbolic and technical dimensions (dams, transboundary basins) as instruments of control and development, underlining the need for cooperative governance.
KEYWORDS: water geopolitics; water conflicts; water security. -
Influence of Vernadsky’s Thoughts on (Marine) Ecology
Jan Campbell (Pharus de Victoria, Austria)
ABSTRACTExplores Vladimir I. Vernadsky’s influence on marine ecology, viewing life as a geological force. The discussion connects his theories on the biosphere and noösphere to modern challenges like anthropogenic CO2 emissions and the Gaia hypothesis.
KEYWORDS: Vernadsky, Biosphere, Marine ecology. -
How Western media failed to accurately portray the war and the genocide in the Gaza Strip
Gaia Santoro (Università degli Studi di Firenze)
ABSTRACTAnalysis of Western media coverage of the Gaza Strip after October 7. The study identifies recurring patterns: dehumanization of Palestinians, biased language, and decontextualization, while also noting the obstacles faced by journalists under military censorship.
KEYWORDS: Western media, Gaza Strip, Israel.