Water Sustainable Development Research Articles

Developmental Trajectories of Electric Vehicle Research in a Circular Economy: Main Path Analysis

This study explored the development history and future trends of academic research on electric vehicles (EVs) in a circular economy. We collected 4127 articles on circular economy and EVs from the Web of Science database, and main path analysis indicated that academic research in the field of EVs in a circular economy has covered the following topics in chronological order: EVs as a power resource; vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology; renewable energy and energy storage grids; smart grid and charging station optimization; and sustainable development of energy, water, and environmental systems. Through cluster analysis and data mining, we identified the following main research topics in the aforementioned field: recycling and reuse of EV batteries, charging stations and energy management, V2G systems and renewable energy, power frequency control systems, dynamic economic emissions, and energy management. Finally, data mining and statistical analysis revealed the following emerging research topics in this field from 2020 to 2023: microgrids, deep learning, loop supply chain, blockchain, and automatic generation control. Various achievements have been attained in research on EVs in a circular economy; however, challenges related to aspects such as sustainable battery recycling charging infrastructure and renewable energy integration remain.

Evaluation of the Coupling Coordination and Sustainable Development of Water–Energy–Land–Food System on a 40-Year Scale: A Case Study of Hebei, China

Evaluation of the Coupling Coordination and Sustainable Development of Water–Energy–Land–Food System on a 40-Year Scale: A Case Study of Hebei, China

Clean energy technologies and energy systems for industry and power generation: Current state, recent progress and way forward

This vision article accompanies a Special Issue of Applied Thermal Engineering dedicated to the Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) conference series held during 2022, including the 5th SEE SDEWES Conference Vlore, 3rd LA SDEWES Conference Sao Paulo, and 17th SDEWES Conference Paphos. The article discusses a selection of papers presented at these conferences and selected for publication in Applied Thermal Engineering, all connected by a focus on clean energy technologies and systems for the advancement of sustainable thermal energy systems. This research area covers a wide range of technologies but is primarily focused on the power generation sector, energy storage and utilization, efficiency improvements, sustainable technical solutions, and the facilitation of the robust integration of renewable energy resources into wider energy systems. Additional work on previously established research topics is also present, but new directions have crystallized, especially research into thermal management for power devices and microelectronics. Based on the recent contributions to the research field presented in the included papers, this vision article discusses the development and application of cutting-edge technological solutions and identifies the challenges that require focused attention. Current shortcomings of developing and established technologies will be developed by the underlying fundamental research, reduction of prohibitively high costs, expansion of operating conditions, and the inclusion of advanced control approaches, sophisticated combinations of renewable energy sources, and modeling tools for system investigations. Scientists, researchers, and engineers can benefit from the summary of the topics at the forefront of the research field and find guidelines and ways forward for future research activities.

Sustainable Energy Planning and Management with PV, Waste heat, positive energy districts and CO2 accounting

This 41st volume of the International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management includes three categories of papers: Ordinary submissions, submissions from the 2023 Smart Energy Systems Conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark and a submission from the 2023 Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environmental Systems (SDEWES) conference series. The work presented address photo voltaics (PV) in the arctic and in Sweden and electricity system scenarios of Indonesia based on, e.g. PV. Staying with PV a study investigated the interplay between PV and electric vehicles in Denmark. Moving to district heating, two papers address waste heat utilisation and positive energy districts respectively, and finally a study proves into unavoidable carbon dioxide emissions in Austria accounts for carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon capture and utilisation (CCUS) needs and possibilities.

Efficient and durable seawater electrolysis with a V2O3-protected catalyst.

The ocean, a vast hydrogen reservoir, holds potential for sustainable energy and water development. Developing high-performance electrocatalysts for hydrogen production under harsh seawater conditions is challenging. Here, we propose incorporating a protective V2O3 layer to modulate the microcatalytic environment and create in situ dual-active sites consisting of low-loaded Pt and Ni3N. This catalyst demonstrates an ultralow overpotential of 80 mV at 500 mA cm-2, a mass activity 30.86 times higher than Pt-C and maintains at least 500 hours in seawater. Moreover, the assembled anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWE) demonstrate superior activity and durability even under demanding industrial conditions. In situ localized pH analysis elucidates the microcatalytic environmental regulation mechanism of the V2O3 layer. Its role as a Lewis acid layer enables the sequestration of excess OH- ions, mitigate Cl- corrosion, and alkaline earth salt precipitation. Our catalyst protection strategy by using V2O3 presents a promising and cost-effective approach for large-scale sustainable green hydrogen production.

Trends in the future evolution of rural settlements in oasis-desert areas under water use simulation scenarios: Take the Hexi Corridor region of China as an example

The uncontrolled expansion of rural settlements caused by the imbalance in the matching of land and water resources has hindered the realization of the goal of sustainable rural development in the oasis-desert area. In this study, “water resources-land resources-oasis rural settlements” are integrated into the same framework of symbiosis development, and the evolution of rural settlements in the context of water and land resources constraints is predicted. We used the coupled “SD-SOS-FLUS” (“system dynamics-suitable oasis structure-future land use simulation”) model to predict the differences in rural settlement sizes and their spatial distribution under the inertial development water use scenario (ID) and sustainable development water use scenario (SD) in the northeast part of the Hexi Corridor in China. In addition, we explored differences in oasis circle structure and land use structure under different water allocation scenarios. Compared with a single model, the coupled model “SD-SOS-FLUS” can better simulate the symbiosis relationship between “water resources-land resources- oasis rural settlements”. Through the prediction, the proportion of water used for production in the ID scenario is still as high as 86.30 %, while the proportion of ecological water use is only 11.50 %, and the continuous imbalance of the water use structure results in the area of arable land and rural settlements will be increased to 7,473.21 km2 and 487.16 km2. It increased by 115.63 km2 and 41.28 km2 respectively compared to 2020, which in turn made the oasis area expanding outward, and the radius R of the oasis also increased from 53.65 km in 2020 to 54.79 km in 2030. The area of arable land and rural settlements under water and land resource constraints in the SD scenario decreased to 5223.56 km2 and 105.04 km2. The contraction of the oasis increases the transition zone circle width B2 from 19.88 km in 2020 to 24.58 km in 2030, an increase of 5 km compared to the ID scenario. As a result of the spatial reconfiguration, the number of rural settlement patches decreased from 1.04 × 104 to 0.15 × 104 in 2020, saving 3.41 × 104 ha of land after optimization.

Water Footprint Flow and Vulnerability of China’s Provincial Energy Sector

Water and energy are mutually reinforcing elements in production and consumption activities, forming an inseparable relationship. This study, conducted at the provincial level, investigates the intricate connections between energy water footprint flow, water shortage, and water pollution. It aims to elucidate the vulnerability of provincial energy sectors to water use, fostering regional coordinated management for sustainable energy and water development. Utilizing a multi-regional input–output model, the research analyzes both the quantity and quality of water resources. The water footprint of China’s provincial energy sector is quantified and scrutinized. Furthermore, an evaluation index system is constructed based on the water footprint concept. The entropy weight TOPSIS method is then applied to assess the vulnerability of inter-provincial energy sector water footprints. The key findings are as follows: (1) The energy water footprint has shifted from water resource-deficient areas, such as the northwest, North China, and northeast, to economically developed regions with relatively abundant water resources, such as East China and South China. This reveals that the transfer of water footprints in economic activities does not entirely alleviate water shortages in China and may even exacerbate shortages in certain water-deficient areas. (2) The graywater footprint of the energy sector is significantly larger than the blue water footprint and water shortage footprint. (3) The production and supply departments of power and heat emerge as the largest contributors to the transfer of energy and water footprints from water shortage areas to water-rich areas, followed by coal mining and dressing departments. (4) Top 10 Vulnerable Provinces: Tibet, Zhejiang, Ningxia, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Henan, Hunan, Beijing, Chongqing, and Hebei are identified as the top 10 provinces vulnerable to water footprints in the energy sector. This vulnerability closely correlates with the energy sector’s dependence on water footprints and production leverage. Recommendations include optimizing the energy mix and establishing stable external water footprint supply channels for provinces with high water footprint dependence. Provinces with high production leverage are advised to accelerate innovation and application of water-saving technologies in key energy sectors, increase the utilization of clean energy, and enhance resource recycling. National government departments should focus on controlling and reducing water pollutants in the energy sector across regions, addressing water shortages by purifying water bodies and improving water quality.

DETERMINATION OF STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR INLAND WATER TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT OF UKRAINE

Topicality. In the context of globalization and the growth of international trade, water transport is becoming key to transport infrastructure, especially in Ukraine with its strategic location and river potential. The economic and ecological importance of inland waterway transport is obvious, but its development is held back by a number of challenges, including infrastructure constraints, economic difficulties, environmental requirements and legislative barriers. The relevance of the study lies in the need to analyze these challenges and define strategies to increase the competitiveness and integration of Ukrainian inland water transport into international logistics chains.Aim and tasks. Determine the priority strategic directions for the development of inland water transport of Ukraine, focusing on integration with international networks, adaptation to geopolitical changes, economic efficiency and environmental innovations. Tasks include analyzing the current state, assessing the impact of external factors and formulating recommendations for increasing the competitiveness and sustainable development of the industry, using international experience.Materials and Methods. The research is based on official documents, scientific literature and statistics to analyze the state of the industry and international experience. The methodology combines comparative analysis, expert evaluations and statistical analysis to identify trends. This will help assess the situation in Ukrainian inland water transport and develop recommendations for increasing its efficiency, sustainable development and integration into international logistics networks.Research results. In view of the growing need for efficient and environmentally sustainable transport solutions, the inland water transport of Ukraine shows significant potential for development. Analysis of the current state and international experience indicates a critical need to implement strategic directions aimed at modernization of infrastructure, implementation of environmental standards, development of multimodal transportation, attraction of investments and activation of international integration.Modernizing infrastructure, including upgrading locks, ports and navigation systems, is fundamental to ensuring the safety, efficiency and accessibility of water transport. This will allow Ukraine to increase the carrying capacity of river routes and optimize logistics chains.The introduction of environmental standards and innovations, in particular the use of environmentally friendly fuels and autonomous ships, will help reduce emissions and increase the environmental friendliness of the industry. This corresponds to the global trends of greening of transport and ensures the sustainable development of water transport.The development of multimodal transport, integrating water transport with other types of transport, opens up new opportunities for optimizing cargo flows and increasing the efficiency of the country's transport system.Attracting investments, both domestic and international, is key to the implementation of modernization and innovation projects. Creating a favorable investment climate and state support through incentives and guarantees will be able to accelerate the development of the industry.Activation of international integration through cooperation with international organizations and adaptation to international standards will allow Ukraine to integrate into global transport networks, attract international experience and investments for the development of water transport.The implementation of these strategic directions will require an integrated approach, coordinated work of the government, business and international partners, as well as taking into account the economic and environmental requirements of today.Conclusion. A government program with investment incentives, modernization and environmental innovation is recommended; legislative improvements to support water transport; business investments in the fleet and infrastructure; international support for Ukraine's integration into global networks. Future research should focus on adaptation to global change and private investment strategies.

The Implementation Effect of China’s River and Lake Chief System

The river and lake chief system offers a valuable policy toolkit to mitigate the degradation of water ecology, thereby bolstering water resource management for sustainable water development in China. To evaluate the effects of implementation and improve policy, this study took Beijing as a typical case and conducted a quantitative assessment using multidimensional data. The findings suggest that while the river and lake chief system in Beijing is effective and has significantly contributed to the ecological management of rivers and lakes, there are also notable regional disparities and urban–rural divergences. In addition, human activities are the main sources of environmental pollution in rivers and lakes, which should be the focus of the river and lake chief system. The river and lake chief system needs to embed more public participation and cooperative governance. This research aids in better understanding China’s river and lake chief system for both researchers and practitioners, facilitating the advancement of the knowledge body of global water policy and governance.

From project to planning: development and effectiveness of the water-draw and utilization assessment policy in China

ABSTRACT The water-draw and utilization assessment (WDUA) policy is crucial for ensuring sustainable water development and good water governance in China. It consists of the WDUA in construction projects (WDUA-CP) and WDUA in urban planning (WDUA-UP). Based on a systematic review of the WDUA policy's development, this study evaluated the WDUA policy from the perspectives of policy text and implementation effectiveness using text-mining and statistical analysis methods. The results show that the WDUA policy is generally successful and has progressed across all regions in China. Despite existing regional gaps, effectiveness will continue to grow at the current situation of implementation. This study broadens the field of inquiry into China's water policy, enhances the method for assessing global water policy, and offers a fresh viewpoint for the international water community to understand China's integrated water resources management and water governance.

Global Perpectives on Water Management: An Overview of Actions Steps from the United Nations to Local Communities

Water scarcity is a worldwide reality; people across the globe now experience the impacts of an excess of water demand over available supply every day. Pressure on water is rising, and action is urgent (UN HLP, 2018, UN SDG Summit 2023, 2023). The United Nations (UN) and the United Nations Educational Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have been focused on water scarcity since 1977, when they created an Action Plan on “Community Water Supply,” declaring that everyone has the right to access drinking water to meet their basic needs (UN, 2018). Since then, the UN has declared the decade of 2018-2028 as a “Decade for Action” on “Water for Sustainable Development (UN, 2018).” The recommendations from this international body of 193 member countries call for all stakeholders to be involved in creating responses to the challenges of water scarcity—not only governments and international organizations but universities, private organizations, farmers, and all citizens. Concomitantly, the World Economic Forum is working to foment public-private partnerships around the world to close the gap between water demand and water supply. This article presents an overview of some of the “action steps” being taken by these organizations, as well as some examples from universities to local organizations with ties to agriculture and water use.

СКЛАДОВІ ОРГАНІЗАЦІЙНО-ЕКОНОМІЧНОГО МЕХАНІЗМУ РОЗВИТКУ ВНУТРІШНЬОГО ВОДНОГО ТРАНСПОРТУ УКРАЇНИ

he issue of the development of inland water transport of Ukraine is gaining new relevance in the context of globalization challenges and the need to adapt the transport system of Ukraine in the conditions of the war and its recovery after the war. Backlogs in infrastructure modernization, insufficient funding, bureaucratic barriers and the lack of a clear long-term strategy make it difficult to effectively use inland water transport, despite its great potential in solving environmental problems and increasing economic efficiency.The purpose of the study is to develop proposals for improving the organizational and economic mechanism for the development of inland water transport in Ukraine. The results of the research will contribute to Ukraine's integration into international transport networks and ensure the sustainable development of water transport.The integration of Ukrainian inland water transport into international networks is critical, as it ensures adaptation to global practices and investment attraction. Upgrading infrastructure and introducing incentives for investors are crucial for the rapid development and modernization of the industry. It is necessary to introduce innovations and the latest technologies to improve efficiency, safety and environmental sustainability.Organizational and economic elements of water transport are interconnected and interdependent, creating a system where changes in one aspect require adaptations in others. This requires flexible management to achieve strategic goals.An algorithm for assessing the impact of strategic initiatives has been developed, which adapts to changes and optimizes resources to maximize positive impact. The algorithm incorporates big data analytics and machine learning, ensuring the effec-tiveness of strategies in a dynamic environment. These findings emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach to renewal and innovation in inland waterway transport, aimed at sustainable development and effective integration into global logistics chains.The field of application of the research results covers public transport strategies, infrastructure project planning and sustainable development policies. The imple-mentation of the proposed changes will contribute to increasing the efficiency, safety and environmental friendliness of inland water transport in Ukraine. The findings highlight the need for an integrated approach to reforming the inland waterway transport sector, with an emphasis on innovation, modernization and international integration. This approach will allow Ukraine to use its great transport potential to improve the socio-economic development of the country and reduce the environmental burden.Keywords: inland water transport, organizational and economic mechanism, evaluation algorithm, efficiency, adaptation

The optimization and engineering at the service of the sustainable development of energy, water and environment systems

The optimization and engineering at the service of the sustainable development of energy, water and environment systems

Review of Hot Topics in the Sustainable Development of Energy, Water, and Environment Systems Conference in 2022

The current applications in the energy sector are based largely on fossil fuels which release greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. To face the issue of global warming, the energy sector has to transfer to and develop sustainable energy solutions that do not release carbon emissions. This is one of the primary motivators for the SDEWES conference as well as for this review, and previous ones, examining the most recent works based on sustainable and green energy production in such fields. The 17th Conference on the Sustainable Development of Energy, Water, and Environment Systems (SDEWES) was held on 6–10 November 2022 in Paphos, Cyprus. The SDEWES conference aims at solving complex and ongoing concerns that approach a long-term perspective and supporting innovative solutions and continuous monitoring and evaluation. This review paper aims at collecting the main presented papers focused on the following hot topics: low-carbon technologies based on renewable and clean-energy systems, including mainly biomass, solar, and wind energy applications; energy storage systems; hydrogen-based systems; energy-saving strategies in buildings; and the adoption of smart management strategies using renewable energy systems. These topics are investigated in order to propose solutions to address the issues of climate change, water scarcity, and energy saving. From the analyzed works, we note that some key issues for sustainable development remain to be further addressed: such as novel and advanced energy storage systems, green hydrogen production, novel low-temperature district heating and cooling networks, novel solar technologies for the simultaneous production of power and high temperature heat, solar desalination for hydrogen production systems, and agrivoltaic systems for the production of power and food.

A study on the sustainable development of regional water resources-socio-economic-ecological environment-tourism industry: survey evidence from the Yellow River Basin, China

High-quality development of socio-economic, ecological environment, tourism industry and natural resources in the Yellow River Basin is a major strategic task for national development. High-quality development in the Yellow River Basin still has a lot of room for improvement, so it is important for the coupled and coordinated development of water resources-socio-economic-ecological environment-tourism industry in the Yellow River Basin region. In this study, we focus on the major strategic issues of high quality development in the Yellow River Basin in the context of the above-mentioned background and the current forms and policies of sustainable development in China, and conduct research on the theory and methods of assessing the sustainable development of regional water resources-socio-economic-ecological environment-tourism industry. However, by analyzing the existing research literature on sustainable development assessment, we find that most of them focus on a single area or two combinations of modal development studies, and focus on exploring micro-coupling mechanisms, so the generality of macro policy support is rather mediocre, which we fill this gap through this study. The study relies on an innovative macroscopic research perspective that draws pioneeringly on the quality function deployment (QFD) theory in the field of product quality management in marketing, which, it is worth stating, allows for a framework of research perspectives from a systematic and holistic perspective. In this framework, we will propose a G1-entropy value method for indicator importance (weight) assessment. It is worth stating that the G1 method used in this paper is different from the traditional G1 method in that we will introduce the identity information weights of experts to improve the reliability of the subjective assignment method. We will also construct an indicator system for studying the regional sustainable development issues in the Yellow River Basin on this basis, so as to complete the ranking and analysis of the nine provinces and the importance of indicators in the Yellow River Basin. This study will provide a comprehensive theoretical basis for Chinese government and related departments to formulate policies for the high-quality development of water resources, socio-economic, ecological environment and tourism industry in the Yellow River Basin, and also provide theoretical and empirical references for the analysis and assessment of similar international regional sustainability cases.

Implementation of ESG principles at water supply enterprises in the context of digitalization

The basic principles of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) have achieved wide popularity throughout the world and, to a certain extent, have found their way into the conditions of the strategy for sustainable development of the our. However, a study of publications showed a lack of generally accepted understanding of what exactly these principles should reflect in relation to a particular industry.The paper examines the problem of industry differentiation of ESG principles in relation to housing and communal services, exacerbated by the diversity of the industry. It is noted that water supply is considered as an equal direction of sustainable economic development among 9 main ones. The key areas of the concept of sustainable development are compliance with environmental, social and economic principles in the operation of the enterprise. The same principles form the basis of the ESG approach.The purpose of the work is to substantiate the main directions for implementing ESG principles in the strategy for sustainable development of water supply.The work proposes the content of key components for the implementation of ESG principles in Russian water supply. It is also proposed to use these principles as components in the preparation of a system of indicators of consumer quality of corporate information systems of enterprises that provide relevant services.One of the practical directions for introducing ESG principles into the activities of water supply enterprises is their consideration in the process of developing the enterprise’s corporate information system. The work identifies specific principles that are included in the requirements for consumer qualities of a software product at the design stage of development and improvement of an enterprise’s corporate information system.

Performance analysis and techno-economic assessment of a developed cooling/preheating small PVT-RO desalination plant

Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries are experiencing rapid population growth, so water and electricity consumption plays a crucial role in the sustainable development of these countries. To overcome the water scarcity and electricity problems facing the MENA region, the developed cooling/preheating small PVT-RO desalination plants have been proposed as a practical solution. To achieve sustainable water and energy development in the MENA region, this study presents a commendable and highly efficient renewable energy project for freshwater production and electricity generation to solve the energy crisis and water scarcity in the MENA countries. Therefore, this study aims to develop a cooling/preheating small PVT-RO desalination plant to facilitate freshwater supply to remote regions and produce electricity. This was done by connecting photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) collectors with reverse osmosis (RO) desalination systems, where seawater is used as a medium to cool photovoltaic cells to increase electric power generation and at the same time recover thermal energy and use it in the initial heating of feed seawater before it is fed into the RO plants, thus increasing its productivity. The results indicate that using the photovoltaic thermal panels as preheating units will lead to a 0.135 kWh/m3 reduction in the rate of specific electricity consumption for the RO desalination plant, as well as increase the electricity generation from PVT panels by a rate of 8%. The economic feasibility presented that the proposed developed cooling/preheating small PVT-RO desalination plant represents an effective technology that reduced the freshwater cost by a rate of 49.5%.

Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES 2022)

The findings of the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report highlighted significant gaps in the targeted global reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [...]

A lighthouse to enhance the quality of life in the Nile River basin

AbstractThe future of large rivers is related to regional cooperation programs for the sustainable development of water and related resources in great river basins. The objective of this article is to present how roadmaps can be utilized for both building up sustainable development for the Nile River, and supporting the integration of national and regional development strategies in Egypt and other Nile basin countries. The strategic objective is to highlight a wide range of sustainable freshwater pathways for an inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable future for all. In particular, it focuses on generating innovative water solutions, actions, and practices that enhance water exploitation in large river basins, transboundary shared rivers, and other transboundary shared water resources. The roadmapping approach is adopted and developed widely in the science, technology, and innovation community. The paper concentrates on roadmapping as an important tool that promotes sound planning of sustainability of large rivers, and in particular, transboundary shared rivers. The roadmap analyzes the benefits of planning shared water cooperation that extends to ecological, economic, and political features, and also beyond the river for the benefit of all, and identifies at an early stage the actions needed to manage the associated technology and environmental risk. The roadmap includes the key water resources governance characteristics, geographical scope, climate change (CC), and its impact, member states, organizational structure, decision-making, data information sharing, monitoring, the role of multiple stakeholders, financing, legal basis, dispute resolution, and benefit sharing. Therefore, a roadmap for the Nile River can help raise productivity and support faster growth, if considered as a lighthouse for national development strategies. Roadmap for the Nile River proposes windows of opportunity and is a vital milestone for cooperation, peace, stability, joint investment, and prosperity. With possible benefits exceeding those derived from the river itself, a roadmap for the Nile River can catalyze strengthened cooperation and greater regional ecological, economic, social, and political integration. The paper concludes that the roadmap for the Nile River sustainability (NRS) is a promising model for assuring the sustainability of transboundary shared large rivers.

Urgent call for protection and use of transboundary watercourses. Some legal reflections

AbstractThe use of transboundary water resources has received special international attention in recent years. Although riparian countries recognize the benefits of cross‐border rivers and enter into agreements with countries sharing the transboundary rivers by means of legal rules, treaties, and principles, they have done excessive riverine exploitation activities to maximize their socio‐economic benefits, causing the imbalance in the ecosystems and peace. This study aims to conduct a secondary analysis of primary qualitative data to research the common legal frameworks on international water law such as Helsinki Rules, UN Watercourses Conventions, and UNECE Water Convention, together with a case study on the Mekong River Agreement. Bilateral, multilateral, international treaties and principles are currently not enforceable enough to compel riparian countries strictly to comply with these legal rules and principles on equitable and sustainable water coordination and development. Besides, there are still internal conflicts among the upper and lower riparian countries over the equitable and reasonable use of transboundary river watercourses due to lack of punitive sanctions. There is an urgent need to establish a specialized international water management commission designated by all nations with the utmost power to regulate human‐related activities concerning transboundary watercourses to govern equitable and sustainable management and development of the transboundary water use. Besides, current international law principles have to be revised to fill the gap of disagreement and potential conflicts between upstream, middle stream and downstream countries.