Download la Plata Basin Treaty

La Plata River Basin
Raquel Flinker
88% shared water
resources
77% hydroelectric
power
Climate Map (Source:
http://splashman.phoenix.wikispaces.net)
Amazon Rainforest
Brazilian Sertão
La Plata Basin (Source: Wikipedia / USGS)
La Plata Basin
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Area of approximately 3,000,000 Km2
Fifth largest basin in the world
Second largest basin in South America
Basin is shared by five countries:
– Argentina: 29.7%,
– Bolivia: 6.6%,
– Brazil: 45.7%,
– Paraguay: 13.2%
– Uruguay: 4.8%
La Plata Basin
• Important and varied
ecosystems: Pantanal (most
extensive wetland in the
world), Atlantic Forest, Chaco
and Savannah
Pantanal
• Guarani aquifer (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay &
Uruguay)
• 70% of the combined GDP of the five countries
• Agriculture, livestock and fishing are the main
economical activities in the region
Hydroelectric Potential
• Approximately 75 dams in the basin
• Three of the main dams are:
– Itaipú - largest dam in the world: Paraná river between Brazil and Paraguay
– Salto Grande: Uruguay river on border between Argentina and Uruguay
– Yacyretá: Paraná river on the border between Argentina and Paraguay
• Paraguay: depends almost entirely on hydropower for its electricity
• Brazil: 46% of the electricity comes from dams on the Paraná River
• The hydroelectric potential in the basin is approximately 100,000 MW of
which half is being utilized
Itaipú
Salto Grande
Yacyretá
Water Resources Legislation
Country
Water Resources Legislation
No national water resources legislation - Provinces do not accept a
federal regulation
Argentina
Provinces determine legislation locally
Developing national guidelines regarding water resources
No national water resources legislation
Bolivia
Several group conflicts regarding water rights and environmental
impacts
Has a water resources national policy
Brazil
Water agency created in 2000
Almost all states have water resources legislation
Rivers/basins that extend through more than one state are classified
as federal (does not specify sub basins conecting to federal rivers)
Paraguay No water resources legislation
Uruguay Federal water code exists since 1979
Public ownership of water in all five countries except Uruguay
1969 Treaty
• In 1967, the Intergovernmental Coordinating
Committee (CIC) was established by the five
countries as the coordinating mechanism of the
Basin
• Two years later, in 1969, they signed the la Plata
Basin Treaty, the main legal instrument of the
Basin
• After this treaty, several other treaties were
signed by two or three countries -> weaknesses
of the 1969 agreement
Main International Treaties after the La Plata
Basin Treaty
Treaty
Convention to Study the Use of the Rio Paraná's
Resources
Rio Paraná's Joint Commission
Yacyretá Treaty
Salto Grande Joint Technical Commission Creation
Treaty
"Itaipú Binacional" Creation Treaty
Lagoa Mirim Basin Treaty
Three Party Corpus and Itaipú Treaty
Rio Uruguay and Peperi Guaçu Treaty
Rio Quarai Natural Resources Use and Development
Cooperation agreement
Rio Pilcomayo Binational Commission Creation Treaty
Rio Pilcomayo Trinational Commission Creation Treaty
Rio Bermejo Binational Commission Creation Treaty
Countries Involved
Year
Argentina and Paraguay
Argentina and Paraguay
Argentina and Paraguay
1971
1971
1973
Argentina and Uruguay
Brazil and Paraguay
Brazil and Uruguay
Brazil, Argentina and
Paraguay
Brazil and Argentina
1973
1973
1978
Brazil and Uruguay
1992
Argentina and Paraguay
Argentina, Bolivia and
Paraguay
Argentina and Bolivia
1993
1979
1983
1995
1995
80’s
Brazil´s Position
Direction of water flow in the Amazon and La Plata Basins
Climate Change
• Region is affected by El niño and La Niña
• Increase in rainfall and river flow in certain regions causing:
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Soil erosion
Increase in water levels and flood frequency
Change of river beds and riparian environmental conditions
Increase in hydroelectric production
Change in water quality due to suspension of sediments during floods
• Studies indicate that in certain regions of the basin, increases of
16% in annual rainfall result in 35% increase in discharge. The trend
is thought to be linked partly to changes in land use, such as
deforestation and increased soybean cultivation.
• 70% of the precipitation evaporates and only 30% reaches the rivers
• Vulnerable region: highly dependent on agriculture, hydroelectric
power and navigation.
Future
The revitalization of CIC, the Marco Project
focused on the sustainable development of the
natural resources in the La Plata Basin and the
environmental protection and sustainable
development project of the Guarani Aquifer are
demonstrating a tendency in integrated basin
management
Questions???
1. What is your opinion on the different country
legislations?
2. What went wrong with the 1969 treaty?
3. After many years of bilateral agreements,
how can we promote multilateral
cooperation?
4. How should these countries prepare for
climate change effects?
Hidrovia Paraguai-Paraná
• Hidrovia agreement was
signed in 1992
• Can lead to erosion,
flooding, loss of biodiversity
and water contamination