Download The 1997 UN-Convention on International Watercourses - LV-TWK

Workshop on
„Transboundary Watermanagement“ 14 - 24 July
Berlin - Friday, 18.07.2003
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
”Political Implications of Transfrontier
Ground and Surface Water Pollution with the
Potentially Result of Significant Losses
of Productive Agricultural Land"
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
Transboundary Waters - Common Pool Resources
The 1997 UN-Convention on International
Watercourses
(Law of the non-navigational uses of internationally
shared fresh water resourses - surface and ground
water)
This definition calls the attention of states to the
interrelationship between all parts of the
system of surface and ground waters that form
an international watercourse.
source: Autorite du Bassin du Niger
Le Modele Mathematique du Fleuve Niger
Novembre 1982
“Thus it should be clear immediately that an effort on one part of the
system will generally transmitted to other parts”
(Stephen McCaffrey, 2001 - Int. J. Global Environmental Issues, Vol. 1, Nos. 3/4,p.251)
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
Transboundary Waters - Common Pool Resources
The 1997 UN-Convention on
International Watercourses
(Law of the non-navigational uses of
internationally shared fresh water resourses
- surface and ground water)
source: UNESCO
Article 2 defines watercourse "as a system of surface
waters and ground waters constituting by virtue of
their physical relationship a unitary whole ..."
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
Transboundary Waters - Common Pool Resources
The 1997 UN-Convention on International
Watercourses
Article 5 provides that
watercourse states shall in their
respective territories utilise an
international watercourse in an
Equitable and Reasonable
Manner.
Nile River Basin
Riparian Nations
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
Transboundary Waters - Common Pool Resources
The 1997 UN-Convention on International
Watercourses
Article 6 provides that in pursuing these ends all
Relevant Factors and Circumstances are to be taken
into account and contains a list of Factors and
Circumstances that come within that category.
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
Transboundary Waters - Common Pool Resources
The 1997 UN-Convention on International
Watercourses
Article 7 provides that watercourse States shall, in
utilising an international watercourse in their
territories, take all appropriate measures to prevent
the causing of Significant Harm to other watercourse
states.
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
Transboundary Waters - Common Pool Resources
The 1997 UN-Convention on International
Watercourses
Article 7 provides also that where Significant Harm
nevertheless is caused to another watercourse state,
the state whose use causes such harm shall, in the
absence of agreement to such use, take all
appropriate measures having due regard for the
provisions of Articles 5 and6 , in consultation with the
affected state, to eliminate and mitigate such harm,
and where appropriate discuss the question of
Compensation.
etc.
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
The situation of Today
The 1997 UN-Convention on International
Watercourses
The United Nations Convention on the NonNavigational Uses of International Watercourses
adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in
March by104 votes in favour, 3 against and 26
abstentions brings new dimensions to the dispute
over the sharing of the waters of the Euphrates and
Tigris Rivers between Turkey, Syria and Iraq.
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
The 1997 UN-Convention on International
Watercourses
The situation of Today
According to Wolf (2000)
„There are 261 watersheds which
cross the political boundaries of
two or more countries.
These internatioal basins cover
45,3% of the land surface of the
earth, affect about 40% of the
world‘s population, and account for
approximately 60% of global river
flow.
source: Aaron T. Wolf
Bonn 2001
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
The situation of Today
The 1997 UN-Convention on International
Watercourses
According to Wolf (2000)
These basins have certain
characteristics that make their
management especially difficult,
most notable of which is the
tendency for regional politics to
regularly exacerbate the already
difficult task of understanding
and managing complex natural
systems.
source: Aaron T. Wolf
Bonn 2001
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
The situation of Today
The 1997 UN-Convention on International
Watercourses
According to Wolf (2000)
The Convention entails a
transition from the prudence of a
single watercourse state to the
shared prudence of watercourse
states.
source: Aaron T. Wolf
Bonn 2001
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
The 1997 UN-Convention on International
Watercourses
The situation of Today
According to Wolf (2000)
To many analysts, this is one
essence in which the Convention
imposes constraints on Unilateral
Development raising the old
question of water and
sovereignty:
source: Aaron T. Wolf
Bonn 2001
Unlimited Territorial Integrity &
Unlimited or Absolute
Sovereignty theories.“
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
Transboundary Waters
Common Pool Resources
Precondition
Paul Klee
In general, ecosystems,
especially transboundary rivers
don‘t ask for national boundaries.
There is a long history of
conflicts over water, including in
regions such as:
Jordan River Basin (shared by Syria, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine)
Euphrates / Tigris River Basin (shared by Turkey, Syria and Iraq)
Nile River Basin (shared by 10 nations)
Ganges / Brahmapudra River Basin (shared by 6 nations)
Colorado River Basin (shared by 7 U.S. states and Mexiko)
etc.
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
Transboundary Waters
Common Pool Resources
Precondition
Paul Klee
Water related disputes and
conflicts are going to get worse,
because of:
Population growth and higher demand
Growth in irrigation demand for food production
Combination of politics and geostrategic issues
Different interpretation of environmental values
etc.
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
Transboundary Waters
Common Pool Resources
What can be done?
Cooperation & Negotiations to share
benefits.
Early implementation of supranational
watershed management commisions.
Long-term commitment towards international conventions.
Capacity Building: Implementation of Development Assistance
Agencies, because water-related needs must be coordinated and
focused, relating quality, quantity, ground water, surface water, and
local socio-political settings in an integrated fashion. Enhancing the
capacities of regional, national and local level institutions.
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
Transboundary Waters
Common Pool Resources
What can be done?
Integration of universities & agencies.
Involvement of civil societies for
conflict management.
Enabling of stakeholder participation
Inventory control & ecosystem monitoring with
remote sensing, and use of Geographical Information Systems for
analysis of indicators of conflict and cooperation over international
freshwater resources.
Education and training for interdisciplinary research.
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH
Dr. H. Kehl
Ecosystem Analysis and Integrated Ground Water Management
What could be the results?
Transboundary Waters
Common Pool Resources
Reduction of salt dilemma in irrigation
water (ground & surface water
pollution), especially for riparian
states.
Fair supply and distribution of common
pool resources.
Source: D.Wolfe
Enhancement of surface and ground
water quality for agriculture.
Salinization of agricultural
land as the result of
changes in vegetation and
water requirement
Reduction of political disputes about
transboundary water.
And last but not least, international protection and sustainable
ecosystem management.
Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung GmbH