Martina

Martina Klimes, PhD

Thematic Lead and Senior Advisor, Climate, Water and Peace

martina.klimes@siwi.org +46 (0) 8 121 360 94

Dr Martina Klimes is Thematic Lead for Shared waters cooperation and Senior Manager and Advisor on Climate, Water, and Peace. With more than 15 years of experience in dialogue facilitation, conflict resolution, and political and security analysis, she has worked across diverse contexts worldwide, combining field-based engagement with informal diplomatic processes. Over the course of her career, she has led dialogues on shared water resources in the Middle East and Central Asia, including Afghanistan. She served on the Scientific Programme Committee of World Water Week from 2019 to 2025, and has designed numerous water diplomacy trainings and authored articles on water diplomacy.

In recent years, her work has focused on advancing understanding of shared climate- and water-related security risks, including the growing role of disinformation in undermining water cooperation. She is also co-editor of the Routledge Water Diplomacy Handbook (2025).

Water diplomacy and peaceShared waters cooperation

Other Publications

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Reports and papers · 20 Mar 2026

Confluence Beyond Borders in a Changing Climate: Dialogue for Cooperation in Central Asia and Afghanistan

Person standing on a dry rocky soil, overlooking a river with city in the background

Policy publications · 03 Jul 2019

Water diplomacy: Facilitating dialogues

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News · 14 Jan 2026

SIWI Reflections 2025: When knowledge begins to travel

In SIWI Reflections 2025, Martina Klimes reflects on the launch of the Handbook of Water Diplomacy and the shift from producing knowledge to supporting practice.

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News · 16 Oct 2025

Q&A with Dr Martina Klimes on the NEW Routledge Handbook of Water Diplomacy

How can water build peace? Dr Martina Klimes shares insights from the Routledge Handbook of Water Diplomacy — a new guide to cooperation in a changing world.

UN Building

News · 09 Jul 2025

SIWI Urges Ambitious, Inclusive Approach at UN Preparatory Meeting for 2026 Water Conference

Martina Klimes

Feature · 11 Apr 2025

Bridging Climate and Water for a Greener Central Asia

At the Samarkand International Climate Forum, SIWI joined leaders from across Central Asia and the EU to explore how water diplomacy and forest restoration can drive climate resilience. With water scarcity on the rise and ecosystems under pressure, the call for regional cooperation has never been clearer.

Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine - June 16, 2023: Shallowing of the Dnieper River due to the destruction of the Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power station. River pleasure-excursion vessel is now on the shore.

News · 27 Jun 2023

Water – a weapon of war or a tool for peace?

The role of water in conflicts is changing, with more attacks against environmental and civilian infrastructure. SIWI’s Dr Martina Klimes recently held a lecture describing the shifting security landscape and how water can be both a weapon and a victim of war – and sometimes a tool for peace.

The Triple Frontera / Tríplice Fronteira, where the three borders of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil converge, separated by the Iguazú and Paraná Rivers.

News · 13 Dec 2022

Coalition launches to strengthen commitment to transboundary water cooperation

With water stress on the rise in shared river basins and aquifers, over 30 governments and organizations decided to form the Transboundary Water Cooperation Coalition. SIWI is one of the proud members.

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News · 18 May 2022

Back to work on environment, peace, and security

Climate change is the defining crisis of our time and it is happening even more quickly than we feared. The impacts of climate change, along with degradation of nature and reduced biodiversity has monumental consequences for humanity and the planet. But we are far from powerless in the face of this global threat.

wavy surface of a water body at sunset with an orange sky

Feature · 21 Sept 2021

Why water is so important for world peace

Will future wars be fought over water? Or should we rather think of water as a new peace-building tool? To celebrate World Peace Day on 21 September we have compiled a little crash course on the complex relationship between water and conflicts.

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News · 19 Apr 2021

How to make climate adaptation more equal

The impacts of climate change tend to hurt vulnerable groups the most, but adaptation measures can also increase inequality if they fail to consider transboundary dimensions. A new policy brief proposes a framework for resilience built on justice and connectedness – also across borders.

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Feature · 14 Sept 2020

Join the High-Level Panel together for climate-smart security

On the International Day of Peace, 21 September, SIWI organizes a High-Level Panel on Water Diplomacy. The world must rapidly embark on the road to more climate-smart security, writes SIWI’s Dr Martina Klimes in this blog post.

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