Transboundary Water Resources Management Research Articles

Transboundary water resources management and food security: An Indonesian perspective

AbstractTransboundary water resource management is one of the key components of ensuring that water is managed appropriately for a number of objectives, including assisting in food production. Inadequate water management may aggravate social conflict in the near future as precipitation patterns change. This study evaluates long‐term government policies, plans, and initiatives based on their responsibility. Strategic environmental assessment is used as an approach to address problems relating to the transboundary flow of water resources. It takes into account the requirements for integrating environmental constraints into government planning and development programs. To make sure that water resources are functioning correctly from upstream to downstream locations, various levels of government are urged to employ spatial planning based on water resource information. This study uses the Cimanuk watershed area in Indonesia to demonstrate this perspective.

Transboundary water resource management and sustainable development in the lancang-mekong river basin: an analysis of international water law

ABSTRACT The Lancang-Mekong River Basin stands as one of the most critical and complex transboundary basins globally, where the utilization and protection of water resources are paramount. This basin, linking China, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, is characterized by a dense population and rapid industrial and agricultural development, fostering frequent economic and cultural exchanges. Cooperative efforts in water resource utilization and protection among these countries lead to issues such as resource disputes, environmental pollution, and collaboration barriers. Since the six basin countries have not jointly joined any international convention on water resources development or protection, disputes have been resolved and cooperation promoted through existing inter-state cooperation mechanisms for many years. However, these mechanisms often fall short due to the lack of common guiding principles. Achieving sustainable water resource development in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin aligns with the national interests of the six countries. The basin states can establish a transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment system and a dispute settlement mechanism. Constructing a comprehensive Integrated Water Resource Management Cooperation Mechanism, rooted in the fundamental principles of international water law, is crucial for enhancing the level of international cooperation within the basin.

Enhancing Transboundary Freshwater Security: From Online Learning to Global Knowledge Exchange Platform

The management of transboundary water resources presents a complex challenge involving multiple stakeholders and countries. Negotiating a single rule for managing these resources can take years due to various factors, including political, socioeconomic, cultural, and historical backgrounds. To assist transboundary water practitioners worldwide, the GWP and GEF IW:LEARN have developed a free-access educational platform, the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Governance for Transboundary Freshwater Security. The MOOC attracted 3855 learners from 166 countries and included 14 interactive online sessions to facilitate discussions among practitioners. In response to learners’ desire for increased interaction and networking opportunities, the Transboundary Water Knowledge Exchange Hub was established. This global online community enables members to share knowledge and engage in direct peer-to-peer learning through an online knowledge management platform. The effort evolved from online course and interactive sessions into an online community, promoting knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning through an online knowledge management platform. Through examining this evolution and analysing key survey results, this paper analyses the role of MOOC and knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning for building capacity for improved transboundary water governance.

Public opinion risk perception of decision makers’ in transboundary watershed emergency water supply

ABSTRACT In recent years, the number of public opinion risks related to sudden transboundary drought events has continued to increase. Research on the perception of public opinion risks has become an indispensable and increasingly important part of emergency management research in transboundary watersheds. Based on relevant literature and interview materials, an exploratory theoretical construction was conducted using the grounded theory research method. The research results indicate that four main categories of public opinion risks, namely, political, economic, ecological and environmental, and socio-cultural, have a significant impact on the perception of public opinion risks among decision-makers in transboundary watershed emergency water supply. The formation mechanisms of decision-makers’ perception of public opinion risks vary in each of these four categories. This research not only enriches the relevant research on the influencing factors of decision-makers’ perception of public opinion risks in theory but also provides decision-making reference and guidance for transboundary watershed water resource management in practice.

International Experience in the Use of Transboundary Water Resources and Issues of its Regulation

The article analyzes the ecological problems of regulating the use of transboundary waters and its protection. The contents of the documents accepted by the international community were studied. At the same time, the state environmental policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan regarding transboundary waters and the tasks it has set for itself have been studied, and suggestions for their improvement have been given. The methods used in this research were interviews and surveys where interviews were conducted with key stakeholders, including government officials, local activists, and the general public in Uzbekistan. Use surveys to collect quantitative data about public perception and awareness regarding changing views about the value of water. In summary, effective international cooperation, clear legal regulations, the establishment of a monitoring commission, and comprehensive protection measures are essential for the sustainable management of transboundary water resources in Central Asia.

The effectiveness of probation as a probationary period following sentencing for criminal offences in the management of transboundary water resources

The article is devoted to the theoretical and practical significance of issues related to the application of probation as a probationary period after the application of punishment for criminal offenses that encroach on the normal functioning of the management of trans boundary water resources. The legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan has the task of protecting the legitimate interests of individuals and legal entities, society and the state in the context of the application of probation as a probationary period after the application of punishment for criminal offenses that encroach on the use of geo-information technologies in water management and irrigation. Encroaching on the use of geo-information technologies in water management and irrigation

Water Security in the Context of Sustainable Management of Transboundary Water Resources in the Caspian Region

The paper examines water security in the Caspian region and the management of transboundary rivers for sustainable development. It analyzes the potential impacts of building dams on upper river courses on the region's water resources, particularly addressing concerns about environmental implications due to pollution from sources like sewage and agricultural fertilizers.It further investigates planned dam projects and their potential climate and ecological effects on the Caspian Sea and surrounding regions. The paper discusses the idea of desalination as a means to tackle water shortages but underscores its limitations in the closed hydrological system of the Caspian Sea.The primary focus lies in establishing effective management strategies for shared water resources. It introduces a novel perspective by considering these rivers and the Caspian Sea as an integrated water system, emphasizing the far-reaching consequences that excessive dam construction could pose to the overall hydrological balance. Collaboration and international agreements are crucial to navigate this challenge.The paper's significance lies in its innovative approach to water management, addressing the complex interplay between water, energy, food, and the environment in the region.

Possibilities of Using the Unitization Model in the Development of Transboundary Groundwater Deposits

Groundwater belongs to the category of strategic minerals, along with hydrocarbon resources, so the supply of drinking water will become one of the urgent problems of modern society. The management of groundwater resources and their protection is a very complicated task, especially in border areas where neighboring states jointly exploit aquifers. The problem of transboundary water resources management, in particular groundwater, has been considered at the international level for more than 30 years. However, despite the adoption of a number of conventions, agreements and programs, both at the global and in the format of interstate relations, an understanding for the approach of a universal solution to the transboundary water issue has not yet been formed. An attempt to study the possibilities of applying the principles of unitization on the example of transboundary oil and gas fields in comparison with groundwater cross-border deposits is made in the paper for the first time. As a successful example, the unitization agreement between Norway and the UK for the development of the Frigg field was chosen. It is established that unitization agreements concluded by states in the joint development of transboundary mineral deposits, actively used in regulating the activities of transboundary oil and gas fields, can be used as one of the possible models of international agreements on the extraction of groundwater in transboundary territories.

Orta Asya'da Sınır Ötesi Su Kaynaklarının Paylaşım Sorunları

ABSTRACT 
 
 The main water resources in Central Asia are the two major transboundary rivers of Syr Darya and Amu Darya. Territorial distribution status of shared waters from these rivers and increasing demand for water in both upper reaches and downstream countries lead to competition between water use for hydropower generation and for irrigation contributing to serious consequences for the economy of these countries. This also raises the political tension between the upper reaches and downstream countries. Therefore, efficient and sustainable management of water resources in the region remains highly important for economic, political and environmental cooperation between the Central Asian Republics. When Central Asian Republics gained their independence after the breakup of the old Soviet Union, the problem of sharing the transboundary water resources aggravated due to the collapse of the old single centralized model of management. The essence of the problems with sharing transboundary waters in the region is that the goals for water use in the region predominantly differ from one country to another. This contradiction is rooted in differing national interests of the republics’ water consumption priorities, with some countries more dependent on irrigated agriculture while hydropower generation is more priority for others. This paper attempts to look at the issues with joint water use, management of transboundary water resources by Central Asian countries and points out the main causes of the problem.

A Novel HydroEconomic - Econometric Approach for Integrated Transboundary Water Management Under Uncertainty

The optimal management of scarce transboundary water resources among competitive users is expected to be challenged by the effects of climate change on water availability. The multiple economic and social implications, including conflicts between neighbouring countries, as well as competitive sectors within each country are difficult to estimate and predict, to inform policy-making. In this paper, this problem is approached as a stochastic multistage dynamic game: we develop and apply a novel framework for assessing and evaluating different international strategies regarding transboundary water resources use, under conditions of hydrological uncertainty. The Omo-Turkana transboundary basin in Africa is used as a case study application, since it increasingly faces the above challenges, including the international tension between Kenya and Ethiopia and each individual country’s multi-sectoral competition for water use. The mathematical framework combines a hydro-economic model (water balance, water costs and benefits), and an econometric model (production functions and water demand curves) which are tested under cooperative and non-cooperative conditions (Stackelberg “leader–follower” game). The results show the cross-country and cross-sectoral water use—economic trade-offs, the future water availability for every game case, the sector-specific production function estimations (including residential, agriculture, energy, mining, tourism sectors), with nonparametric treatment, allowing for technical inefficiency in production and autocorrelated Total Factor Productivity, providing thus a more realistic simulation. Cooperation between the two countries is the most beneficial case for future water availability and economic growth. The study presents a replicable, sophisticated modelling framework, for holistic transboundary water management.

Legal regulation of transboundary water resources of the republic of Kazakhstan

This study discusses the legal issues of regulation of transboundary water resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The purpose of the study is to study the problem of rational use and protection of transboundary rivers of Kazakhstan to ensure stable development. The methodology for solving the direct problem is based on general scientific methods of cognition, and concepts of interaction between society and nature; methods of logical-legal, structural-functional, and comparative legal analysis were applied based on a comprehensive approach to the study subject. The authors identified several advantages and disadvantages of current legal regulation measures and reviewed the current state of transboundary water resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Also, the authors analysed the regulatory framework in transboundary water resources management and investigated the international regulatory framework for cooperation in the field of transboundary water resources management of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The authors conclude that a considerable disadvantage in establishing an effective legal regime for regulating water resources is the practical lack of legal regulation at the river basin level.

10.52340/jecm.2022.07.33

            The classification of water-related conflicts, conflict assessment indices and the status of international agreements in the field of water were studied. It was established that along with positive properties, water has the potential for conflict. Conflicts are mainly related to the management and use of transboundary water resources, which in turn threaten regional security. Historical experience shows that conflict situations can be resolved peacefully by involving water diplomacy in negotiations. A typological classification of water conflicts has been developed. However, mechanisms for assessing the occurrence of water-related conflict situations need further improvement.

Diving into Water Diplomacy – Exploring the Emergence of a Concept

Abstract The term “water diplomacy” has gained currency among policy makers and academics. It reflects an awareness that the use, management, and protection of transboundary water resources is intrinsically political and often embedded in complex political settings. Based on a review of academic and policy documents, we analyze the variety of understandings and common patterns in the definition of water diplomacy. We also analyze tools, tracks, and levels through which and at which water diplomacy is conducted or analyzed. With our own definition of water diplomacy as deliberative political processes and practices of preventing, mitigating, and resolving disputes over transboundary water resources and developing joint water governance arrangements by applying foreign policy means which are embedded in bi- and/or multilateral relations beyond the water sector and taking place at different tracks and scales, we aim to advance the discourse on water diplomacy both in the academic and policy realms.

Contested baselines and transboundary water resources management, with illustrations from the Nile

ABSTRACT The effect of a policy intervention is estimated as the difference between a state of the world without the intervention – the dynamic baseline – and with the intervention. Negotiations on managing transboundary water resources confront three kinds of problems in specifying the dynamic baseline: unexamined baselines, uncertain baselines and contested baselines. This paper focuses on contested baselines. Controversy may arise from different ethical or political assessments of the appropriate choice of the state of the world without the policy intervention. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile highlights the importance of understanding contested baselines involving transboundary water resources.

Conceptual and Methodological Foundations for the Articulation of Geospatial Data on Water Resources in South America’s Cross-Border Hydrographic Basins

When observing transboundary waters through the lens of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), it is essential to emphasize the principle of watershed unicity, which must overcome geopolitical interests while being supported by technical criteria. This paper used a multilevel and multiscale approach for integrated management of transboundary water resources in two South American transboundary river basins: the Javari River Basin (between Brazil and Peru) and the Quaraí River Basin (between Brazil and Uruguay). The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) provided spatialized data for South American watersheds. Our research focused on several broad issues concerning regional transboundary water management: (a) Because only Peru and Brazil use the Otto–Pfafstetter method, a uniform method within a regional agreement about methodological differences for delimiting hydrographic basins in each country is required; (b) It is necessary to organize accurate databases to avoid problems of mismatched borders by overlapping national databases or mismatches due to scale problems; (c) It is also necessary to establish a coordinating body capable of working with each country’s representatives. In this case, building integrated and collaborative cartographic database becomes critical; (d) Because river meanders can change, historical data of a river’s morphology is required. In this sense, this research provides guidelines to make water management in transboundary rivers feasible in South America.

Review and Analysis of the Effectiveness of International Regulations and laws in the Field of Integrated Water Resources Management in Central Asia

An analysis of the effectiveness of the work of regulatory legal acts and laws of the Kyrgyz Republic on integrated water resources management was carried out in order to identify causal relationships of work / not work, as well as recommendations on the necessary measures for the effective work of regulatory legal acts (NLA) in this area were developed. Also, as part of the preparation of this work, successful cases were prepared on the work of the NLA and the laws of the Kyrgyz Republic and Central Asia, transboundary and basin water resources management. The work was structured as follows: collecting the necessary materials, studying, analyzing, making recommendations. To date, Kyrgyzstan has not implemented the provisions of the Water Code. The State Water Administration and its Basin Structures, Irrigation and Drainage Commissions, Dam Safety, etc. have not been created. Water resources management is still carried out on an administrative basis, not on a basin basis. The work used various literary sources, archival data, Internet resources, etc., links to which are given in the article.

Opportunities and Challenges Arising from Rapid Cryospheric Changes in the Southern Altai Mountains, China

Optimizing the functions and services provided by the mountain cryosphere will maximize its benefits and minimize the negative impacts experienced by the populations that live and work in the cryosphere-fed regions. The high sensitivity of the mountain cryosphere to climate change highlights the importance of evaluating cryospheric changes and any cascading effects if we are to achieve regional sustainable development goals (SDGs). The southern Altai Mountains (SAM), which are located in the arid to semi-arid region of central Asia, are vulnerable to ecological and environmental changes as well as to developing economic activities in northern Xinjiang, China. Furthermore, cryospheric melting in the SAM serves as a major water resource for northeastern Kazakhstan. Here, we systematically investigate historical cryospheric changes and possible trends in the SAM and also discover the opportunities and challenges on regional water resources management arising from these changes. The warming climate and increased solid precipitation have led to inconsistent trends in the mountain cryosphere. For example, mountain glaciers, seasonally frozen ground (SFG), and river ice have followed significant shrinkage trends as evidenced by the accelerated glacier melt, shallowed freezing depth of SFG, and thinned river ice with shorter durations, respectively. In contrast, snow accumulation has increased during the cold season, but the duration of snow cover has remained stable because of the earlier onset of spring melting. The consequently earlier melt has changed the timing of surface runoff and water availability. Greater interannual fluctuations in snow cover have led to more frequent transitions between snow cover hazards (snowstorm and snowmelt flooding) and snow droughts, which pose challenges to hydropower, agriculture, aquatic life, the tail-end lake environment, fisheries, and transboundary water resource management. Increasing the reservoir capacity to regulate interannual water availability and decrease the risk associated with hydrological hazards related to extreme snowmelt may be an important supplement to the regulation and supply of cryospheric functions in a warmer climate.

Etiyopya'da Su Yönetiminin Durumu: Sorunlar ve Çözüm Yaklaşımları

Water management is considered to be a field that searches for optimal solutions to the problems posed by society's need for water and the availability of water in nature. Urbanization and rapid increase in population have brought many problems related to water resources, especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. As a result, millions of people do not have access to potable water and improved sanitation. This study found that the main water problems in Ethiopia are more likely to result from weaknesses in coordination, lack of adequate authorized institutions, rapid population growth, technical, financial, and hydro political problems rather than water scarcity. The country's policy on sharing its natural resources, allocation, and management of transboundary water resources creates major problems between upstream and downstream countries. The study recommends advanced management mechanisms and appropriate approaches that can solve the existing problems and promote the socio-economic development of the country.

A community-based approach to sustainable transboundary water resources management and governance in the South-West Coastal region of Bangladesh

A community-based approach to sustainable transboundary water resources management and governance in the South-West Coastal region of Bangladesh

Ethiopia’s Developmental Rights to Use Nile River

This paper reviews the Ethiopia’s developmental rights in using Nile River based on principles of international water law related to transboundary water resources management and analyses to what extent these principles are incorporated in recent international conventions and treaties. The study tells that principle of equitable and reasonable utilization, obligation not to cause significant harm, principles of cooperation, information exchange, notification, consultation and peaceful settlement of disputes are widely acknowledged by modern international conventions, agreements and treaties. These principles could facilitate effective transboundary water resources management involving riparian countries of shared watercourses and hence, promote sustainable development around the world.The paper is set out into five sections. The first section begins with a description of Grand Renaissance Dam of Ethiopia and its importance. The second section describes Nile Basin Initiatives (NBI) 1999. The third section deals with International Water law and Qualm Over Nile River. The fourth section of the paper elucidates Theories and doctrines of international water law. The last section discusses the Principles of international water law.Ethiopia has not clung to its natural benefit of being an upstream country. Being a supply of 86% of the Nile water, it has not claimed absolute territorial sovereignty over the water in its boundaries. Under international water laws Ethiopia would solely be required to notify and share applicable information with downstream nations in order to utilize the river. This is the courtesy that Egypt did not prolong to Ethiopia or the other top riparian states when it used be growing its numerous water infrastructures on the Nile River and diverting the river out of it is herbal course. Ethiopia has no need of harming any one rather than using it is own developmental rights in collaborative and embracing circumstance approach within other riparian nations. DOI: 10.7176/IAGS/89-02 Publication date: January 31 st 2021