Workshop on:

Review of Trans-boundary Water Conventions:

concepts, requirements, opportunities and challenges

Niloofar Sadeghi

Programme Officer for Natural Sciences

UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office

20 November 2013, Tehran

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

In 1945, UNESCO was created in order to respond to the firm belief of nations, forged by two world wars in less than a generation, that political and economic agreements are not enough to build a lasting peace.

UNESCO

Education Attaining quality education for all and lifelong learning

Natural Sciences Mobilizing science knowledge and policy for sustainable development

Social Human Sciences Addressing emerging social and ethical challenges

Culture Fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace

Communication & Information Building inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication

UNESCO

UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office

(Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan)

Iran National Commission for UNESCO

Permanent Delegation of I.R of Iran to UNESCO

UNESCO in Iran

Water at UNESCO:

"The three plus one pillars"

• International Hydrological Programme

• UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education: postgraduate education for water professionals + Network of 22 IHP Water Centers

• World Water Assessment Programme: periodical compilation of the World Water Development Report —

• Unesco Water Chairs

UNESCO’S Intergovernmental Scientific Cooperative

Programme in Hydrolgoy and Water Resources

The International Hydrological Programme (IHP) is the only

Intergovernmental programme of the UN system devoted to water

research, water resources management, and education and

capacity building.

The programme, tailored to Member States’s needs, is

implemented in six- year phases- allowing it to adapt to a rapidly

changing world.

Transition of IHP’s phases: continuity with change

1990-1995 IHP IV

Hydrology and Water Resources Sustainable Development

in a Changing Environment

1996-2001 IHP-V

Hydrology and Water Resources Development

in a Vulnerable Environment

2002-2007 IHP-VI

Water Interactions:

Systems at Risk and Social Challenges

2008-2013 IHP-VII

Water Dependencies:

Systems under Stress and Societal Responses

Geographical distribution of Centers

ERCE IHP-HELP Centre

ICHARM

ICQHHS

IRTCES

IHE

IRTCUD RCUWM

RCTWS

HTC

CAZALAC

UNESCO category 1 Centre (1)

UNESCO category 2 Centre (21)

IGRAC

ICWATER

RCWAZ

ITAIPU

RCSARM

ICIWaRM

CEHICA APCE

ICCE

ICECAR

From Potential Conflict

to Co-operation Potential

Water for Peace

a contribution to

World Water Assessment Programme

GLOBAL FRESHWATER RESOURCES

Relation between water availability and population

Transboundary Aquifer Systems

BGR / UNESCO 2006 1:25 000 000

Trans-boundary waters

Regional peace, security and prosperity.

Almost 40 per cent of the world’s population live in transboundary river and lake basins

Over 90 per cent of world population in countries that share basins.

(almost half of the Earth’s land surface and 60 per cent of global freshwater flow)

A total of 145 States include territory within such basins, and 30 countries lie entirely within them.

Water of 2 billion people comes from groundwater, which includes approximately 300 transboundary aquifer systems.

263 Transboundary Lake and River Basins

Cooperation over transboundary Rivers has a long history.

Joint management of transboundary aquifers is still in its infancy.

Inventories of transboundary done for:

Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Eastern Asia by different United Nations institutions pursuing water-related activities.

Transboundary Aquifers

Aquifer –

Transboundary Issues

Dealing with trans-boundary waters

Since 1948:

- Only 37 incidents of acute conflict

- During the same period, approximately 295

international water agreements were

negotiated and signed.

TFDD: Basins at Risk

Department of Geosciences

Oregon State University

June 2001

Sharing benefits

Transboundary water management can directly or indirectly contribute to international trade, economic development, food security, political security, poverty

alleviation and regional integration.

Two countries Regional

Joint trans-boundary flood early

warning systems

Poverty reduction and less

migration from rural

areas

Ecological conservation

Increased energy

production Improved irrigation

Improved economic

integration and political

stability

Country level

Convention and Statute on the Regime of Navigable Waterways of International Concern (Barcelona, 20 April 1921)

Convention Relating to the Development of the Hydraulic Power of International Affecting More Than One State, and Protocol of Signature (Geneva, 9 December 1923)

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar, Iran, 2 February 1971)

UNECE Water Convention (Helsinki, 1992)

UN Watercourses Convention (1997 Convention)

Cooperation

Sectorial distribution of 145 sample

agreements on trans-boundary water

resources

Water more often unites than divides peoples and societies. In history freshwater has been a powerful incentive for cooperation, compelling stakeholders

to reconcile even the most divergent views.

1. Legal instruments

2. Institutional structures and capacity

development

3. An integrated approach

4. Exchange of information and joint

monitoring and assessment

5. A participatory approach

6. Benefits and costs-sharing

7. Financing

Pillars of water cooperation

Ataturk Dam on Euphrates River

International Commission for Central Asia

(Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Republic of Uzbekistan).

Joint River Commissions (Bangladesh and India)

Mekong River Commission (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam)

River Basin Organizations- Asia

http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Articles/Trans-boundaryWaterManagement

1. Amazon Cooperation Treaty (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela)

2. Autonomous Binational Authority of the Basin of Lake Titicaca (Bolivia, Peru)

3. Guarani Aquifer System (Argentina, Brasil, Paraguay, Uruguay)

4. Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee of the River Plate Basin Countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay)

5. Uruguay River Management Commission (Argentina, Uruguay)

River Basin Organizations- Latin America

http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Articles/Trans-boundaryWaterManagement

1. Border River Commission (Finland, Sweden) 2. Finnish Norwegian Transbounday Water

Commission (Finland, Norway) 3. Geneva Aquifer Management Commissin

(France, Switzerland) 4. Guadiana River Commission (Spain, Portugal) 5. Int’l Commission for the Protection of Lake

Geneva (France, Switzerland) 6. Int’l Commission for the Protection of the

Danube River (Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine)

7. International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe (Germany, Czech Republic)

8. Int’l Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (Germany, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland)

9. Int’l Meuse Commission (Belgium, France) 10.Int’l Sava River Basin Commission (Bosnia-

Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Yugoslavia) 11.Peipsi Centre for Transboundary Cooperation

(Estonia, Russia)

River Basin Organizations- Europe

http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Articles/Trans-boundaryWaterManagement

1. Lake Chad Basin Commission (Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria)

2. Niger Basin Authority (Benin, Bukino Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast)

3. Nile Basin Initiative (Burundi, D.R. Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Rwanda Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya)

4. Orange-Senqu River Commission (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa)

5. Organization of Cooperation for the Development of the Gambia River Basin (Gambia, Guinea, Senegal)

6. Organization for the Development of Senegal River (Mali, Mauritania, Senegal)

7. Zambezi River Authority (Zambia, Zimbabwe)

River Basin Organizations- Africa

http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Articles/Trans-boundaryWaterManagement

Example of trans-boundary water cooperation – Columbia River System

671,000 km2

15% in Canada, 85% in 7 states within USA

Borders the rocky mountains to the east

10,000 years of human settlement

Rich in minerals, fishery, soil texture

Over 400 dams built on the dam

Products of the river become internationally important since there is trade opportunity by many ports along BC, Washington and Oregon states

Columbia River System

International Joint Commission (JIC),

established in 1909

Canada and the USA each

appoint three of the six IJC Commissioners,

two chairs from each country serve concurrently.

Reviews applications for approval of projects (environment, water quality, air quality; conflict prevention)

Columbia River System

Disputes:

I. 1950s: US request for 2 dams were stopped

II. Libby Dam

First application in 1951

Second submission 1954

Final agreement in 1964 by signing Columbia River Treaty

Columbia River System

Environmental Concerns as a result of massive am constructions

Example of trans-boundary water cooperation – Mekong River

800,000 km2

Climate: from the glaciated highlands of the Tibetan Plateau to the hot and humid lowlands of Southeast Asia

Upper Basin (China, Myanmar): makes up 24% of the total area and contributes to 20% of the water

Lower Basin: Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam

Many varied wetlands, forests and rich biodiversity

Difficult to navigate

Today, the Lower Mekong Basin is experiencing a rapid development boom. Demand for - food, - water and - energy will increase

Result of economic growth, industrialization and urbanization.

Mekong River Basin

IES, the Hague

Mekong River System

In 1950s, the commission was established under the UN

1n 1995, Mekong River Commission became an independent body

Members: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam

(Ministers of water and/or Environment)

China and Myanmar as observers

Mekong River Commission

Some achievements:

Notification on construction of dams in the four countries

Joint cooperation on thematic programmes (agriculture, fisheries, IWRM, climate change, hydropower, environment, etc)

Resource mobilization from int’l donors, e.g. EU provides over 6 million dollars for climate change in Mekong

China to share hydrological data with the Commission for flood prevention purposes

Mekong River Commission

MRC has given a stronger voice to the four

downstream countries

Trans-boundary waters of Iran

Web site www.g-wadi.org

Thank you!