Spotlight on: Margarida Gama

We’re delighted to introduce Margarida Gama as part of our PhD/ECR Spotlight Series. Margarida is a PhD researcher at the University of Coimbra where she researches water weaponisation and conflicts.

Find about more about Margarida via her LinkedIn and researcher profile.

Tell us a bit about yourself. 

Hi! My name is Margarida Gama. I am currently a third-year PhD researcher in International Politics and Conflict Resolution at the University of Coimbra and the Centre for Social Studies, as well as a member of the Peace & Climate working group of PEACE COST action led by the Flemish Peace Institute. Prior to my PhD, I completed my Master’s degree at the University of Coimbra and my Bachelor’s at the University of Lisbon. My transition into doctoral research was driven by a deep interest in understanding the role of water in international peace and security. Outside academia, I enjoy practising yoga, spending time with my cat and surrounded by nature, going to the cinema and reading a good classic. 

What are your research interests?

My research interest revolves around water studies, more specifically on the concept and practice of water weaponisation (i.e., the use of water and its infrastructures as weapons of war). In my master’s dissertation, I analysed how water weaponisation during the Syrian war impacted the human security of the population and how the water weapon was wielded by both state and non-state actors to advance their hydro-hegemony and power. This research later resulted in a published article. Building on this foundation, my PhD research continues to focus on water weaponisation, but now examines its intersection with international humanitarian law norms that protect water during wars and, consequently, condemn this warfare practice. My current work is therefore concerned with the normative dynamics behind the prohibition of water weaponisation and how this set of norms evolves, is interpreted, and is challenged in contemporary conflicts.

I have also been interested in examining the links between the water wars and water weaponisation literatures. On this matter, I have published an article in which I am a co-author. 

What are three sources you’d recommend to others related to environment and climate politics?

One source I always recommend is the Pacific Institute's work on global water issues. The Institute offers an exceptionally rich set of resources, including rigorous reports, policy analyses, and interactive tools. In particular, its Water Conflict Chronology stands out as one of the most comprehensive databases tracking the links between water, conflict, and political dynamics worldwide. For anyone interested in the intersection of environment, security, and climate politics, it is an invaluable starting point.

I recently read the book Climate Security by Ashok Swain and I highly recommend it. It offers a clear and accessible overview of how climate change intersects with global security dynamics. Swain’s work is particularly valuable for understanding how environmental stressors shape conflict, governance, and both national and human security, making it an excellent resource for anyone exploring environment and climate politics.

Lastly, I recommend the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health’s January 2026 report “Global Water Bankruptcy: Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era”. This report argues that the world has moved beyond a “water crisis” and has entered an era of global water bankruptcy (i.e., a structural, irreversible condition in which many water systems can no longer return to their historical baselines). This shift is driven by decades of overuse, groundwater depletion, over‑allocation, pollution, land degradation, and deforestation, all fuelled by climate change, which together have pushed numerous river basins and aquifers past recovery thresholds. This report is an important recommendation because it reframes water scarcity not as a temporary challenge but as a systemic, long‑term political reality. 

What’s next for you?

Beyond continuing to develop my PhD research, I will soon be publishing an original research article in Environment and Security based on international water weaponisation dynamics. I will also be attending international conferences this year, including the BISA annual conference. 

The ECP WG’s Spotlight Series provides a platform for PhD and early career researchers to introduce themselves and their work. If you are interested in participating, please get in touch at: ecp.group@bisa.ac.uk. 

Top image by Paul Hudson via Flickr. Text has been added to the photo.