Fostering Riparian Cooperation In International River Basins

This report describes the World Bank's successful interventions in three international river basins -- the Indus, the Mekong, and the Aral Sea -- to foster riparian cooperation and agreements. It discusses the key features of the Bank's role and the following strategies: intervening solely to promote development and peace; timing interventions when issues were serious, when riparians were not able to address them on their own, and when they needed and wanted Bank assistance; initiating dialogue with riparian countries at the highest levels to inspire confidence, playing a proactive role in exploring pragmatic solutions acceptable to all parties rather than pursuing ideal but unworkable solutions; using quiet diplomacy in negotiating sensitive issues; making the required long-term staff and budgetary commitment despite final outcome uncertainty; mobilizing donor countries support; and analyzing risks and taking appropriate measures to minimize them. The paper concludes that the Bank can succeed in other international river basin conflicts if it follows these same strategies.--Publisher's description

The environment and security literature has argued that freshwater scarcity often leads to inter-state conflict, and possibly acute violence. The contention, however, ignores the long history of hydro-political cooperation exemplified by hundreds of documented agreements. Building on a theory that considers the relationship between scarcity and hydro-political cooperation, this paper empirically investigates why treaties are negotiated for some rivers and between some riparians, and not others. The paper suggests that long-term water scarcity has a significant influence on levels of cooperation. Additional variables considered include trade, level of governance among the riparian states, and the geography of the river. Findings confirm that cooperation and scarcity embody a concave (inverted U curve) relationship. Governance has a positive impact on cooperation. In addition, riparians may either arrange the use of their scarce water resources via a treaty or trade (and indirectly exchange [virtual] water). Scarcity, governance, and trade were found to be most salient in explaining levels of cooperation while geography is significant in some of the estimates.

With more than 50 percent of the world's landmass covered by river basins shared by two or more states, competition over water resources has always had the potential to spark violence. And growing populations and accelerating demands for fresh water are putting ever greater pressures on already scarce water resources. In this wide-ranging study, Arun Elhance explores the hydropolitics of six of the world's largest river basins. In each case, Elhance examines the basin's physical, economic, and political geography; the possibilities for acute conflict; and efforts to develop bilateral and multilateral agreements for sharing water resources. The case studies lead to some sobering conclusions about impediments to cooperation but also to some encouraging ones--among them, that it may not be possible for Third World states to solve their water problems by going to war, and that eventually even the strongest riparian states are compelled to seek cooperation with their weaker neighbors.

'Conflict and Cooperation on South Asia's International Rivers' traces the development of international water law. This book focuses on the hydro-politics of four countries in the South Asia region: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. It analyzes the problems that these countries have encountered as riparians of international rivers and how they have addressed these problems. In particular, this study reviews the treaty regimes governing the Indus River basin, the Ganges River basin, and the Kosi, Gandaki, and Mahakali river basins. Each of these regimes is described in-depth, with special attention devoted to the main problems each of these treaties sought to address. The authors also review the treaty experience and offer observations on bilateralism and multilateralism.

Latest Edition: Bridges Over Water: Understanding Transboundary Water Conflict, Negotiation and Cooperation (2nd Edition) Bridges over Water places the study of transboundary water conflicts, negotiation, and cooperation in the context of various disciplines (such as international relations, international law, international negotiations, and economics), analyzing them using various quantitative approaches, such as river basin modeling and game theory. Case studies of particular transboundary river basins, lakes and aquifers are also considered. This is the first textbook for a relatively recent yet rapidly expanding field of study. Errata(s) Errata

#NAME?

This volume is based on the presentations and deliberations of an Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) "Caspian Sea: A Quest for Environmental Security" that was held on March 15-19, 1999, in Venice (Italy). The Workshop was sponsored by the NATO's Division for Scientific and Environmental Affairs, with additional support provided by the Trust for Mutual Understanding (USA). It was organized by Duke University's Center for International Development Research with the guidance of the International Committee of scientists from Russia, United States. Georgia and Italy and organizational assistance rendered by Venice International University. The Caspian Sea region is of profound importance from the perspective of global and regional environmental security. New geopolitical and economic circumstances have created a mixture of competition. reluctant collaboration, and legal, political, economic and ideological wrangling. There is an intense debate over how the Caspian and its resources should be divided among littoral states and how these resources are to be developed. While most littoral states and the international companies strive to develop the area's immense hydrocarbon potential, it is clear that the Caspian's unique and fragile ecosystem is at risk.

Bridges over Water places the study of transboundary water conflicts, negotiation, and cooperation in the context of various disciplines, such as international relations, international law, international negotiations, and economics. It demonstrates their application, using various quantitative approaches, such as river basin modeling, quantitative negotiation theory, and game theory. Case-studies of particular transboundary river basins, lakes, and aquifers are also considered. This second edition updates the literature on international water and in-depth analyses on political developments and cooperation between riparian states. With an appended chapter on principles and practices of negotiation, and a new case study on the La Plata Basin, this edition is a timely update to the field of transboundary water studies.