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Managing water supplies and security through legislation - Coggle Diagram
Managing water supplies and security through legislation
Integrated Basin Management (IWRM)
Also known as integrated water resources management.
Works on the principals of water resources management within a shared drainage basin and the idea that nations need to cooperate with each other.
Tends to work better on a smaller scale or in smaller nations like the UK
In the UK there is a greater control of water through the government using the regulator OFWAY who control water allocation and can cap abstraction rates of water companies if they fear it will have negative impacts elsewhere.
where it passes through multiple states and each state uses the water to aid it's own
development with little consideration for the state downstream
Tends to work poorly in places like the Colorado river in the USA
Water-Sharing treaties and frameworks
International cooperation tends to be the rule rather than the exception.
Over the last 60 years, military conflict has occured in only a handful of drainage basin disagreements.
There has been a large amount of cooperation between nations, even traditional enemies
India and Pakistan share the Indus and cooperate over its usage.
Some important international agreements
Helsinki Rules on the Usage of Waters of Intetnational rivers
Adopted in 1966 by the International Law Association
Provides a series of principles and frameworks for the effective use of ewater
Equitable utilisation
All Riparian states have the right to a reasonable and equitable share of the water.
Prevention of Harm.
Countries must not use the waters in ways that causes harm to other riparian states.
Factors of determination
Rules consider factors like geography, hydrology, social and economic needs, population and existing usage to determine fairness in water allocation.
Obligation to cooperate
Riparian states are encouraged to cooperate and resolve disputes amicably.
The Helsinki Ruleslaid the foundation for later water-sharing agreements, including the UN Watercourses Convention (1997).
However, they are not legally binding unless incorporated into treaties.
4 examples where the Helsinki Rules have been used and integrated into treaties.
Indus Waters Treaty (1960)
Mekong River Commission (1995 Agreement)
Rhine river cooperation
Senegal river basin treaty