Water Regime Formation in Europe: A Research Framework with Lessons from the Rhine and Elbe River Basins

Abstract

Since the early 1960s, the European continent has witnessed the (subsequent) spread of multilateral agreements to combat transboundary pollution. In order to explain the formation of these international water regimes, we have developed a research framework that considers power-, interest-, knowledge- and context-based approaches to the study of international cooperation. This research framework was then tested at the example of international water cooperation in the Rhine and Elbe river basins.