Good transboundary water governance in the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals: a legal perspective

Abstract

The goal of this article is to discuss whether the Sustainable Development Goals address the cooperation necessary to facilitate a system of transboundary water governance. For the purpose of this analysis, a Good Transboundary Water Governance Matrix has been developed. We find that transboundary water governance requires a holistic interpretation and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals understood as a whole. In particular, good governance and, ultimately, sustainable development require stakeholders to focus not only on water (Goal 6) but also on Goal 16, which focuses on international cooperation.