Transboundary Resources Research Articles

Towards better management of Coral Triangle tuna

Indonesia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea, all part of a regional sub-group known as the Coral Triangle, have sizeable skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye tuna fisheries. Recent figures suggest that as much as a third of tuna catch from the western and central Pacific Ocean can be attributed to the fleets of these countries. Historically, however, little attention has been paid to their fisheries and their regulations. Management of tuna fisheries in Indonesia and the Philippines faces many challenges, including bycatch of juveniles, lack of effective gear restrictions, subsidized fleets, and unreported catches. Papua New Guinea has countered the challenges of tuna management with several effective measures, including implementing the vessel day scheme, a type of effort quota system, and limiting the use of fish aggregating devices (FADs). This paper compares and contrasts tuna fisheries in the three countries, as well as their management regimes and current management challenges. By highlighting some of the successes that Papua New Guinea has had, we hope that Indonesia and the Philippines may be able to more effectively manage their fleets and their fish. And this in turn may lead to better regional management of a valuable transboundary resource.

U.S. Energy Security and Water: The Challenges We Face

U.S. Energy Security and Water: The Challenges We Face

跨界自然保护区——实现生物多样性保护的新手段

Interest is rapidly growing in transboundary natural resource management(TBNRM),due to the increasing emphasis in recent years on regional cooperation and conducting landscape conservation at larger scales.Transboundary protected areas(TBPAs) are commonly used in TBNRM and have become an important subject for research into protected area management and biodiversity conservation. TBPA studies in China are limited to the conflicts caused by the development of tourism resources and administrative integration,while TBPAs measures have received relatively less attention.In particular,a large proportion of China′s nature reserves span two or more administrative regions,but no conclusions have reached on how the experiences of cross-border conservation in developed countries can be usefully applied to these protected areas.Therefore,in this paper we reviewed the benefits,costs and factors influencing TBPA success or failure on the basis of relevant research review.This analysis indicated that establishing TBPAs might be an effective means to fulfill the objectives of ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation at larger scale.The current status and existing problems during transboundary protected area management are identified,and the necessity of building TBPAs across different administrative boundaries in China is discussed.Finally,we propose potential future research activities and the following recommendations: (1) While transboundary protection has received greater attention and TBPAs studies are becoming more in-depth,a theoretical explanation is urgently needed to explain what triggeres cross-boundary administrative responses,including how to protect cross-border ecosystems or coordinate transboundary cooperation practices.(2) At present,most TBPA studies consider international boundaries,and there are fewer studies focusing on administrative regions within one country.Therefore,it is important to strengthen TBPA research and management at the sub-national level.For China′s TBPAs,the problem may be potential cross-border impacts emanating from the whole protected area system.Therefore,it is essential to establish an identification system,analyze the possibility and necessity of cross-border cooperation,consider the costs and benefits,and determine the priority protection areas.In addition,conflicts and serious difficulties have occurred in some local cross-border protected areas Feasibility analysis for TBPAs should be established so as not to complicate the problem in areas where it is not appropriate.(3) Evaluating effectiveness is a hot topic of TBPA research.Many countries have developed detailed evaluation systems to ensure the effective management of TBPAs and the sustainable development of large-scale ecological systems.However,these evaluation systems are not sensitive to different sets of cross-border indicators,and do not necessarily reflect the conservation achievements.Therefore,the establishment of a cross-border management performance evaluation system and analysis methods would be of great significance for the effective management and protection of TBPAs.(4) Although co-management methods are diverse,it is a huge challenge to achieve effective cooperation between different countries with different languages,different political systems and cultural backgrounds.Because each TBPA is unique it cannot be copied.In the absence of a successful reference model,cross-border managers and decision makers should develop appropriate ways for their own cross-border nature reserve management based on their specific circumstances.

Transboundary groundwater law in Europe: a look at an evolving multi-level regime

Transboundary groundwater resources in Europe are increasingly governed by a multi-level regime composed of national, supranational and international law. The article provides an overview of essential features of the 2000 Water Framework Directive and the 2006 Groundwater Directive of the European Union. It identifies their pivotal role not only regarding the domestic groundwater law of European Union member states, but also with respect to international law pertaining to transboundary groundwater resources in Europe.

Strengthening cooperation on transboundary groundwater resources

Water is life's most important natural resource, and groundwater is humanity's most vital source of that life-giving substance. Global freshwater resources contained in aquifer systems are two orde...

Resources and border disputes in Eastern Africa

This article argues that there is a likelihood of inter-state disputes in Eastern Africa as natural wealth is discovered in the borderlands. After providing an overview of the current state of Eastern African borders the article points out that the escalating trans-boundary resource disputes are due to the colonial boundary-making errors, undefined and unmarked borders, poor or lack of border management, poor governance, and population bulge. Besides using a number of case studies to contextualise trans-boundary resource conflicts, the article concludes by recommending establishment of a regional mechanism to address border disputes and a regional framework for managing and sharing trans-boundary resources.

Are virtual water “flows” in Spanish grain trade consistent with relative water scarcity?

Virtual water adds a new dimension to international trade, and brings along a new perspective about water scarcity and water resource management. Most virtual water literature has focused on quantifying virtual water “flows” and on its application to ensure water and food security. Nevertheless, the analysis of the potential gains from international trade, at least from a water resources perspective, needs to take into account both spatial and temporal variations of blue (groundwater and stream flow) and green (soil moisture) water, as well as the socioeconomic and policy conditions. This paper evaluates whether Spanish international trade with grains is consistent with relative water scarcity. For this purpose, the study estimates the volume and economic value of virtual water “flow” through international grain trade for the period 1997–2005, which includes 3 years with different rainfall levels. The calculations show that Spain is a net virtual water “importer” through international grain trade. The volume of net virtual water “imports” amounts to 3420, 4383 and 8415 million m 3 in wet (1997), medium (1999) and dry (2005) years, respectively. Valuing blue water at its shadow price or scarcity value, blue water “exports” oscillate between 0.7 and 34.2 million Euros for a wet and dry year, respectively. Overall, grain trade is apparently consistent with relative water scarcity as net imports increase in dry years. However, the evolution of grain exports, expressed as a variation in quantity and volume, does not match the variations in resource scarcity. A disaggregated crop analysis reveals that there are other factors, such as quality, product specialization or the demand for a standardized product, which also influence trade decisions and are not included in the notion of virtual water. These facts, among others, can therefore create potential distortions in the application of virtual water to the analysis of specific trade patterns. Nevertheless, from a water resources perspective, virtual water can bring important insights across countries for improving water and land management globally, fostering adaptation strategies to climate change and to transboundary resource management.

Reconciling Biodiversity with Fishing: A Holistic Strategy for Pacific Sea Turtle Recovery

Recovery of sea turtle populations requires addressing: multiple sources of mortality; nonmarket, diffuse benefits with costs localized on the poor; and a transboundary resource with incomplete jurisprudence, markets, and institutions. Holistic recovery strategies include: beach conservation protecting nesting females, their eggs, and critical breeding habitat to maximize hatchling production; enhanced at-sea survival of turtles on the high seas and in commercial coastal fisheries; and reduced artisanal coastal fisheries mortality of turtles. The traditional approach of focusing long-term sustained conservation efforts on the nesting beaches has by itself led to increases in several sea turtle populations. However, current conservation is inadequate to reverse declines in other cases such as the critically endangered leatherback populations in the Pacific. This article discusses policy instruments comprising a holistic recovery strategy that reconciles fishing with biodiversity conservation.

The nascent recovery of the Georges Bank haddock stock

World-wide many fish stocks have been depleted by overfishing. In this study, we describe the nascent recovery of the Georges Bank haddock stock. This mainstay of the New England groundfish fishery was overfished for decades prior to mid-1990s and experienced long-term declines in spawning biomass and recruitment. The stock was considered to have collapsed in the early-1990s when a lawsuit by the Conservation Law Foundation led the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to take actions to cease overfishing and to recover Georges Bank haddock and other groundfish stocks. Under restrictive management measures, stock size increased 10-fold from 1995 to 2005. In 2003, an exceptionally abundant year class (YC) was produced. Although this YC may rebuild the haddock stock to pre-1930s abundance if properly fished, monitoring changes in life history parameters and recruitment will be important for sustaining stock recovery. Mean weights and sizes at age of adult haddock have decreased in recent years, and compensatory responses of haddock growth and recruitment to changes in stock density are assessed. We discuss some remaining challenges to managing this recovering transboundary resource in a dynamic multispecies fishery.

Establishing Transboundary Marine Energy Security and Environmental Cooperation Areas as a Method of Resolving Longstanding Political Disagreements and Improving Transboundary Resource Management in the Gulf of Mexico

This article examines the longstanding political and legal obstacles to bilateral cooperation between the United States and Mexico and suggests that bilateral cooperation could be improved without antagonizing long-standing political tensions by creating one or more Transboundary Energy Security and Environmental Cooperation Areas (TESECA) in the GOM's maritime boundary region. Two areas, in particular, that straddle the maritime boundary are especially well suited. The first is known as the Perdido Foldbelt Region, where large quantities of hydrocarbons are known to exist in transboundary reservoirs. The second is the area beyond national jurisdiction known as the Western Gap, which is already governed by an international treaty between the two nations.

The (Almost) All-American Canal: Consejo de Desarrollo Economico de Mexicali v. United States and the Pursuit of Environmental Justice in Transboundary Resource Management

The (Almost) All-American Canal: Consejo de Desarrollo Economico de Mexicali v. United States and the Pursuit of Environmental Justice in Transboundary Resource Management

Shared Waters: Conflict and Cooperation

This review examines the state of conflict and cooperation over transboundary water resources from an environmental, political, and human development perspective. Although the potential for outright war between countries over water is low, cooperation is often missing in disputes over transboundary resources. This background chapter will ▪ Provide a brief overview of the nature of conflict and experiences of cooperation over transboundary resources. ▪ Provide a conceptual basis for understanding cooperation and the costs of noncooperation over water. ▪ Indicate the possible triggers for conflict over water sharing and the implications on the livelihoods of ordinary communities. ▪ Offer evidence on the potential costs of noncooperation or even conflict over water resources. ▪ Analyze power asymmetries between riparian states and how they affect the outcomes of negotiations. ▪ Analyze different examples of cases that countries have used to manage the competition for water resources. ▪ Propose general principles and conclusions on conflict and cooperation.

Factors influencing transboundary wildlife management in the North American ‘Crown of the Continent’

Jurisdictional boundaries and borders are rarely coincident with ecological systems. The long-term persistence of viable wildlife populations and habitats, especially for highly mobile and migratory species, is contingent upon effective management that transcends administrative boundaries. Although transboundary natural resource management has emerged as a topic of academic and professional discourse, implementation has been hampered by a host of barriers that include institutional, administrative, financial and contextual factors. The Crown Managers Partnership, a collaborative initiative of public land managers in the transboundary Rocky Mountains of Canada and the United States, is exploring the approaches to overcome these barriers. This paper reports on the results of interviews to identify the factors that influence the management of transboundary wildlife and provides a series of recommendations that are specific to the study area context, but are also transferable to other regions. Formalizing the existing partnership, exploring options for expanding participation in the partnership to include non-government interests, engaging third party facilitation, using non-traditional data sources, applying metapopulation ecology theory, and interdisciplinary problem solving are all elements recommended for improved transboundary management and of wildlife in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem.

Canada–USA Bilateral Fisheries Management in the Gulf of Maine: Under the Radar Screen

Canada and the USA have developed a series of cooperative initiatives that address transboundary fisheries issues in the Gulf of Maine. The Canada–USA Steering Committee serves as an umbrella forum for discussing and coordinating transboundary management measures. Through the work of the Transboundary Resource Assessment Committee and the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee, the Steering Committee has overseen the development of joint scientific stock assessments and a sharing agreement for groundfish resources in the vicinity of the eastern Georges Bank. The bilateral Fisheries Enforcement Agreement helps ensure the success of such cooperative management initiatives by combating illegal fishing in the vicinity of the international boundary. However, the largely informal ‘under the radar screen’ arrangements, while positive on many fronts, to date fall short of fully implementing key principles of sustainable development, such as public participation, the ecosystem approach, integration and precaution.

Water accounting for the Orange River Basin: An economic perspective on managing a transboundary resource

The framework for water accounting is applied to an international river basin, the Orange River Basin, which is shared among Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa. Each of the riparian states faces water constraints and relies increasingly on shared international water resources. The countries have adopted the principle of an economic approach to water management, once basin human needs are met, and all but Lesotho have constructed national water accounts to assist in water management. The water accounts for the Orange River Basin bring an economic perspective to water management at the regional level. The accounts include supply and use tables, which are used to compare the contribution to water supply from each riparian state to the amount used. The water accounts are then linked to economic data for each country to calculate water use and productivity by industry and country. There are considerable disparities in water productivity among the countries, which should be taken into account in future decisions about water allocation, pricing and infrastructure development.

A Future for the Dead Sea Basin: Water Culture among Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians

The Dead Sea basin plays a major role for regional economic development (industry, tourism and agriculture) in the Middle East. This potential is threatened by the steady disappearance of the Dead Sea. Since around 1930 the water level of the Dead Sea has fallen by about 25 m, about half of this alone in the last 20 years. The Dead Sea is a transboundary resource shared by Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan. The Dead Sea is the terminal point of the Jordan River watershed and as such, it serves as a barometer for the health of the overall system. Its rapid decline reflects the present water management strategies of the riparian and upstream countries. This includes the different water cultures of the three countries. Throughout history, the Dead Sea basin has served as a source of refuge and inspiration for followers of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Today, the religious significance of the Dead Sea is being overshadowed by its rapid disappearance. This may be explained in part by the water cultures of the three countries that influence water policy in the region. Ideology, together with culture and tradition, such as that of Zionism in Israel, has played a central role in water development in the region. In many cases, this has been at the expense of the environment. Elements pertaining to environmental security and water culture and tradition, whereby a sustainably managed environment provides for social, economic as well as environmental benefits are evident with regards the Dead Sea. The decline for example, undermines its potential as a tourist destination, despite the enormous investment in hotel and resort infrastructures in Israel and in Jordan. The decline also raises ethical issues about the exploitation of water resources by present generations at the expense of this natural heritage to future generations. This paper provides an analysis of a European Union funded project whose aims are to synthesize and assess existing physical and socio-economic data and to assess options for a better future for the Dead Sea. It will identify the patterns of water supply and use in the region, and the factors that control these patterns, including those of water culture. The underlying assumption is that solutions for a sustainable development than today’s scenario will not come from simply providing more water for development, but from a new land and water management system, indeed ethic, that is sensitive to social, cultural and ecological resources thereby providing security and stability across cultures, economic sectors and nations.

Cooperation and non-cooperation in the Ibero-atlantic sardine shared stock fishery

The negative effects of the lack of cooperation in managing shared or transboundary fishing resources may be studied by means of analyses that combine Game Theory with bioeconomic modelling. In this paper we undertake the study of the Ibero-atlantic sardine stock, shared by Spain and Portugal, adapting the basic model of analysis of transboundary resources to the facts found in this fishery. One of the main findings is that the final results will depend on the different assumptions we make regarding the behaviour of the fishermen in the competitive scenario. Besides, a cooperative solution is proved to be more likely provided that side payments are allowed. Moreover, the optimal cooperative solution does not necessarily mean that the resource will be harvested exclusively by one of the fleets in the fishery.

Research agenda for understanding transboundary ecosystem changes and eco-security in Southwestern China

The longitudinal range-gorge region (LRGR) in Southwestern China, characterized by longitudinal mountain ranges and deep valleys, includes the basins of four major international rivers: the Yuanjiang-Red, Lancang Mekong, Nujiang Salween and Irrawaddy. This region is classified as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, and provides an important ecological and economic corridor linking China and Southeast Asian countries. Over the past half century, it has served as a resource base for timber and minerals needed to fuel economic development, which resulted in rapid and drastic changes in ecosystem and species diversity. Proposed and ongoing development programs, such as China’s Great Western Development campaign, Greater Mekong Subregional Economic Cooperation (GMS) and China-ASEAN free trade zone development (“10+1”), threaten to bring unprecedented disturbance to the region’s ecosystems. Present and emerging threats to eco-security have caught tremendous attention worldwide. Therefore, studies on such problems are critical for enhancing ecosystem health and transboundary eco-security. This paper indicates several multi-disciplinary and cross-sector studies on transboundary resources in this region that will meet three major national needs: 1) identifying core scientific issues of ecological development and infrastructure construction in high plateau and mountainous areas for the Western Development campaign; 2) developing maintenance mechanisms and control methodologies for transboundary eco-security and resource base development; 3) providing scientific grounds for multi-lateral diplomacy, trade and economic cooperation, and conflict resolution as part of China’s opening-up to south Asia. The key subjects to be solved include dynamics and major drive forces of this area, ecological effects caused by major projects construction, and transboundary eco-security and its controlling. The research projects proposed in this article will develop theories on ecosystem change and transboundary eco-security, and provide a scientific basis for national and international development strategies.

Joint Development: An Alternative Legal Approach to Oil and Gas Exploitation in the Nigeria-Cameroon Maritime Boundary Dispute?

AbstractThe delimitation of a maritime boundary is not necessarily a panacea for disputes over offshore resources. Neither petroleum reserves, which are fugacious in character, nor fish or marine mammals respect national boundaries. Even successful delimitation may still require a degree of close cooperation if opposite or adjacent states are to exploit such transboundary resources rationally. Such cooperation can be achieved by the concept of joint development. This paper reviews the literature on the joint development of offshore petroleum resources and the controversy surrounding the concept. The paper further examines its applicability as an alternative approach to the Nigeria-Cameroon maritime boundary dispute.

Groundwater resources: shaping legislation in harmony with real issues and sound concepts

Groundwater resources are increasingly being put under pressure owing to population growth, technological progress and economic development. Many countries, however, are unable to address groundwater depletion and pollution owing to weak legal and institutional frameworks. This applies both within national contexts and in respect of international or trans-boundary aquifers (or aquifer systems). The issue is being widely debated within international fora, numbers of countries are revising their water legislation in order to include more specific provisions for groundwater, and in parallel the UN International Law Commission (ILC) is studying trans-boundary groundwater resources with a view to a codification of the law in this regard. However, the key characteristics of groundwater are often misunderstood by non-specialists and, unless resource lawyers and groundwater specialists work much more closely together, there is likelihood of erroneous interpretations of the applicable legal regime. This paper aims to highlight basic concepts and pragmatic management needs, so as to provide a framework within which national and international legislation on groundwater management and protection should be shaped.