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Freshwater resources are widely shared
among nations, regions and communities. International river basins account
for nearly half the planet’s land surface, and host about 40 per
cent of the world’s population (UNEP 2002d). However, a common,
long-term vision of transboundary water systems, needed for their efficient,
environmentally-sustainable management and use, is still lacking in
many cases. There is inevitably the potential for conflict over the
shared use of these resources. On the plus side, the increasing number
of river basin agreements offers a platform for collaboration that can
lead to a more equitable and sustainable use of shared freshwater resources.
A recent report highlighted the need for countries to share freshwater
as a major force for peace and cooperation, noting that the historical
norm has been to establish treaties, rather than resort to armed conflicts
over this issue (UNEP 2002d).
There are 263 rivers that cross or demarcate international boundaries
(UNEP 2002d). Issues involved in sharing transboundary freshwater resources
have grown more complex over time.
The process of reaching agreements on international water systems, and
the mechanisms created therein for consultation and cooperation, provide
countries with a means of managing conflicting interests over shared
freshwater resources. Organizations such as the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Southern African Development
Community
(SADC) have brokered agreements and protocols, including the Convention
on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Water Courses and International
Lakes (1992) and the Protocol on Shared Watercourse Systems in the Southern
African Development Community (2000). In 2003, the meeting of the Forum
of Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean also defined management
of water resources as a priority area for cooperation toward sustainable
development of the region (Box 10).
Box
10: LAC environment ministers place water high on the agenda |
The 14th
Meeting of the Forum of Ministers of Latin America and the
Caribbean (LAC) defined the management of water resources
as one of the priorities in the implementation of the LAC
Initiative for Sustainable Development. A decision adopted
during their November meeting in Panama City recognizes water
as an essential resource for life and economic development,
and highlights activities such as tourism and agricultural
irrigation.
In reaffirming
the internationally-agreed target to halve, by the year 2015,
the proportion of people with no sustainable access to safe
drinking water and sanitation, the ministers committed their
countries to initiatives for integrated management of water
resources through watershed management. They guaranteed the
active participation of all stakeholders, especially through
the creation of watershed councils or local management bodies,
and through workshops.
Furthermore
they committed their countries to promote:
 user friendly and accessible technologies to prevent water
loss and pollution by fostering sound water use and sanitation;
the identification and evaluation of groundwater resources
in arid regions as an alternative for guaranteeing access
to water in terms of quality and quantity;
incentives and economic instruments for the protection of
natural resources (forests and water), such as economic compensation
for public and private stakeholders who contribute to conservation
of the environment; and
The adoption of integrated planning approaches that take into
account the linkages between land use, watershed and coastal
zone management, especially for the region’s Small Island
Developing States (SIDS).
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| Source: UNEP 2003b |
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