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Transboundary Waters:
Sharing Benefits, Sharing Responsibilities
Design, publishing and printing of the UN-Water Thematic Paper was funded and coordinated by the United Nations
Office to Support the International Decade for Action ‘Water for Life’ 2005-2015 (UN-IDfA), based in Zaragoza, Spain.
Disclaimer:
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of
any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or
area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
Transboundary Waters: Sharing Benefits, Sharing Responsibilities 1
The issues1
Approximately 40 per cent of the world’s population All transboundary water bodies create hydrological,
lives in river and lake basins that comprise two or more social and economic interdependencies between
countries, and perhaps even more significantly, over 90 societies. They are vital for economic development,
per cent lives in countries that share basins. The existing reducing poverty and contributing to the attainment of
263 transboundary2 lake and river basins cover nearly the Millennium Development Goals.
one half of the Earth’s land surface and account for an
estimated 60 per cent of global freshwater flow. A total While embedding a potential for discourse and
of 145 States include territory within such basins, and conflict, they provide opportunities for cooperation
30 countries lie entirely within them. In addition, about and promotion of regional peace and security as well as
2 billion people worldwide depend on groundwater, economic growth. Recognizing this potential, through
which includes approximately 300 transboundary various initiatives the members of UN-Water are
aquifer systems. focusing on tipping the balance from potential conflict
to cooperation, by supporting countries in their efforts
Aquifers not only contain quality water and represent to improve the management of transboundary water
a substantial hidden global capital, but also support land resources.
and water ecosystems. Their overexploitation can lead
to serious problems such as groundwater depletion, Depleted and degraded freshwater supplies, caused
saltwater intrusion in coastal areas and mobilization of by population growth, poorly managed development
toxic substances such as arsenic and fluoride. Pollution and weak governance, hamper sustainable development
can also affect aquifers, and thus the populations and underscore the need for cooperation between the
relying on them. major water-use sectors – agriculture, industry, energy,
navigation and water supply and sanitation. Individual
The transboundary basins and aquifers link countries, within their areas of political responsibility,
populations of different countries and support the have good reasons to implement integrated water
incomes and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people resources management to protect and sustainably
worldwide. Wetlands such as lakes and floodplains which use water and related ecosystems and to reconcile
are also often shared by neighbouring countries provide the demands of different sectors for socio-economic
invaluable ecosystem services to humans such as food development. Potential transboundary impacts and
provision and reduction of flood impacts and pollution. conflicting interests can best be solved by cooperation,
1 The term “transboundary water” in this paper refers to transboundary rivers, lakes, inland
adequate legal and institutional frameworks, joint
water as a whole and aquifers; here, explicitly excluding open oceans, territorial seas and coastal approaches to planning and sharing of benefits and
waters.
2 The terms “transnational”, “trans-State” and “international” are also used. related costs.
2 UN-Water Thematic Paper
Despite the proliferation of agreements on exchange and public participation as well as mutual
transboundary water management, there are still assistance in case of extreme events are also crucial.
numerous watercourses, not to mention aquifers, Agreements should include ways to factor in risk and
without adequate legal frameworks for cooperation. uncertainty, for example related to climate change.
Notably, 158 of the world’s 263 international river Finally, they should have provisions for encouraging
basins, plus transboundary aquifer systems, lack any water-related joint economic development activities,
type of cooperative management framework. e.g. cost-sharing arrangements.
At the transboundary level, the formation of joint tributaries or aquifers) should develop institutional and
bodies with strong enforcement capacity, such as administrative structures that facilitate cooperation.
river, lake and aquifer commissions, is fundamental Similarly, cooperation between joint bodies with the
to ensuring cooperation between the various same scope but in different areas, e.g. protection of
governmental entities and good management of shared inland waters and of the marine environment, makes
resources. Enforcement can only be achieved if these the work of both bodies more effective.
bodies possess strong mandates and political support
from the various Governments. Apart from States, a Appropriate rules of procedure and terms of
variety of actors – local stakeholders, non-governmental reference for river basin organizations that take
organizations (NGOs), research institutions, private into account specific local conditions are also crucial.
sector participants and donors – must all be involved. These rules should not only recommend the structure,
Success can be found in the interaction and cooperation responsibilities, rights and financial status of such
between the different levels and stakeholders. Vertical organizations, but also ways and means to ensure
and horizontal integration is a necessity, and the joint public participation.
bodies are the framework where such integration takes
place. For joint bodies to be effective, their institutional
and human capacities are crucial. Staffs of joint bodies
To be effective, joint bodies should pursue the should have a broad competence and skills that bridge
following: disciplines. The capacities of managers, especially at
the national and local levels, should be strengthened
Coordination and advisory functions (e.g. not only to raise understanding of the complexities of
collecting and exchanging hydrological data managing shared water resources but also to derive
and forecasts, identifying pollution sources the benefits made possible through cooperation.
and hot spots, serving as a forum for the Negotiation, diplomacy and conflict resolution skills
exchange of information on emerging issues, need to be developed and improved. The capacity to
existing and planned uses of water and related develop and implement policies and laws as well as the
installations, conducting studies on climate relevant enforcement mechanisms is vital, and should
change impacts); be developed accordingly, as is setting up funding
arrangements, both internal and external.
Policy development and implementation,
including formulating joint policies, strategies
and visions to implement the agreement (e.g.
developing joint monitoring programmes, An integrated approach
establishing warning and alarm procedures,
setting up regimes for reservoirs and other Transboundary as well as national water
facilities); development and management are strongly linked
to sustainable and responsible growth. Thus, an
Implementation and dispute settlement, integrated approach favouring long-term and
including monitoring and reporting on contingency planning is needed, building resilience
implementation and settling differences and into vulnerable systems, with an emphasis on increased
disputes. diversity and flexibility. New management approaches
should be based on regional cooperation principles,
Joint bodies in the same basin with a different
focusing on river basins and aquifer systems. Integrated
scope (e.g. navigation and water management, as
Water Resources Management (IWRM) is a process that
well as bodies overseeing a first-order basin, main
promotes coordinated and efficient development and
8 UN-Water Thematic Paper
management of water, land and related resources to Exchange of information – including on pollution
maximize the economic and social welfare without caused by accidents, on infrastructure projects that
compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems. could affect downstream countries, on extreme events
This requires a coordinated approach by industry, (floods and droughts) as well as on operations such
agriculture, the water-supply infrastructure, etc. It calls as for hydropower, navigation and irrigation – is vital
for a holistic management of surface and groundwater, to building trust and a shared vision among riparian
implemented with the entire river basin in mind. countries. In this context, a number of key policies on
Numerous challenges are involved, such as continuous the “free and unrestricted” exchange of hydrological
changes in people’s demands and values and structural data and products are being promoted by WMO and
transformations in society and environment, not to UNESCO.4
mention climatic anomalies and other exogenous shifts.
These various challenges call for multifaceted, flexible
decision-making processes.
A participatory approach
Public participation is fundamental to maximize
agreement, enhance transparency and decision-
making, create ownership and facilitate the less at the transboundary level. Critically, public
acceptance and enforcement of decisions and policies. participation requires adequate financial resources to
It is also a mechanism for gaining a better or common be effective. Yet despite the difficulties, transboundary
understanding between the various stakeholders on public participation efforts can be successful: witness
the nature of a given problem and the desirability the Danube Convention, the Sardar Sarovar Project
of specific outcomes. Stakeholder participation and the Regional Partnership for Prevention of
strengthens integration, thereby contributing to conflict Transboundary Degradation of the Kura-Aras River.
prevention, and risk reduction – all highly important in
large infrastructure development projects.
The role of UN-Water and Transboundary water issues have been identified
by UN-Water as among the priority areas requiring
including publications in “Natural resources/Water transboundary issues and their impacts and causes;
series”, for example on existing treaties or institutional (b) joint preparation of a Strategic Action Programme
and organizational aspects affecting international (SAP) of agreed commitments to regional and national
watercourses; (b) technical cooperation assistance – governance reforms and investments; and (c) support
programme development in cooperation with countries, for implementation of agreed SAPs through capacity-
river basin organizations and other stakeholders, e.g. building, institutional strengthening and technical
on the Senegal, Niger, Chad and Okavango basins and assistance. As of 2008, UNDP overall transboundary
the Nubian aquifer; (c) organization of and support to waters portfolio totals about $1 billion including co-
international conferences on regional watercourses, financing. UNDP works with a wide range of partners
e.g. the Colloquium on the Global and Sustainable including other United Nations agencies, international
Management of the Resources of the Niger Basin financial institutions, intergovernmental organizations,
(1999) and the International Conference on Regional NGOs and the private sector in developing and
Cooperation and Transboundary River Basins (2005); implementing its transboundary waters programme.
and (d) advisory services to the Eurasian Economic
Community to promote regional cooperation on
transboundary water management in Central Asia
(2008).
Advisory services are provided to African constituencies the preparation of guidelines on different aspects of
to address water resources management issues at the IWRM (e.g. on transboundary flood management,
national, subregional and basin levels. Other principal joint monitoring and assessment, and PES), and the
ECA activities are regional integration, linkage and establishment of transboundary pilot projects.
fostering dialogue and cooperation among the various
countries, the other United Nations agencies involved The United Nations Economic and Social Commission
in water management in Africa, and development for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) was the founder of the
partners Mekong Committee, now the Mekong River Commission
(MRC). Over the years, the institutional framework
for Mekong basin cooperation has evolved from the
coordination of initial development under the MRC
into a foundation for cooperation on development
and investment, now known as the Greater Mekong
Subregion Programme. ESCAP continues to provide
advisory services to the MRC, in various programmes
such as on basin development planning and flood
management and mitigation. ESCAP also promotes
the exchange of information and data for better
flood management of international river basins under
the framework of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical
Cyclones.
aiming at strengthening the capacities of water arrangements for transboundary waters assessment
management institutions in this region to implement and the strengthening of global capacity to sustain
sustainable forms of use, management and protection transboundary waters. UNEP supports basin initiatives
of internationally shared groundwater resources has in Africa (e.g. the Volta River basin and downstream
been implemented in collaboration with the United coastal area and the Lullemeden aquifer system) and in
Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNECE and Latin America and the Caribbean (e.g. in the La Plata,
UNESCO. This project is expected to consolidate support Bermejo and Amazon basins). UNEP also sponsors the
for regional declarations and agreements. exchange of experiences on transboundary waters;
recent events include the Workshop for African River
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Basin Organizations on adaptation to climate change
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) promotes international (August 2008) and the International Conference on
cooperation among its 193 Member States and six Transboundary Water Governance (October 2008).
Associate Members in the fields of education, science,
culture and communication. The Natural Sciences The United Nations University (UNU) was
Sector implements major international programmes established by the General Assembly in 1973 to serve
in the freshwater, marine, ecological, earth and basic as an international community of scholars engaged
sciences. The International Hydrological Programme in research, advanced training and knowledge
(IHP) is the intergovernmental and international dissemination related to pressing global problems.
scientific cooperative programme of UNESCO for water UNU operates as an active global network of experts
research and water resources management, education and institutions. The International Network on
and capacity-building. IHP has developed two specific Water Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) is the
programmes related to transboundary waters. PCCP, water-focused academy within UNU, which aims
or “From Potential Conflict to Cooperation Potential”- to strengthen water management, particularly in
which is considered a direct contribution of IHP to developing countries. UNU-INWEH is leading two major
the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) - transboundary water initiatives. The first brought
facilitates multilevel and interdisciplinary dialogue to together five lake commissions focused on the African
foster peace, cooperation and development of shared and North American Great Lakes to share experiences
water resources management. ISARM (International and understand common challenges such as climate
Shared Aquifer Resources Management) is working to change. The second, a joint effort by UNU-INWEH with
set up a network of specialists and experts to compile UNEP, UNESCO and other partners, aims to synthesize
a global inventory of transboundary aquifers and the scientific achievements from the projects executed
develop wise practices and guidance tools for shared through the GEF International Waters Focal Area.
groundwater resources management.
UN-Water members
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
András Szöllösi-Nagy
United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization
1, rue Miollis
75732 Paris Cedex 15, France
e-mail: a.szollosi-nagy@unesco.org
Pasquale Steduto
Chairperson, UN-Water
Food and Agriculture Organization
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00153, Rome, Italy
e-mail: Pasquale.Steduto@fao.org