Editor's Note: This article is the first installment in a RANE series on the geopolitical impacts of water stress. This series will be published periodically throughout the remainder of 2024. The unequal distribution of natural resources often shapes geopolitical patterns. Throughout history, competition for resources has sparked both conflict and trade, creating opportunities for development and growth in some areas while disadvantaging others and influencing the pace and direction of technological advancements. Though rarely the direct cause of conflict, fresh water is one of the most important mineral resources, critical for agriculture, industry and domestic uses. Water stress, characterized by the narrowing gap between available water resources and the demand for water use, is a growing challenge driven by urbanization, agricultural practices, mining and industry, and climate change. Water stress contributes to social and political instability, food insecurity, and industrial, electricity and transportation disruptions.