International Water Law in Multi-scale Governance of Shared Waters in the Anthropocene: Towards Cooperation, not “WaterWars”

Abstract

Humanity’s alteration of Earth has resulted in the onset of the Anthropocene which brings with it severe threats to the natural environment, especially regarding freshwater resources. With existing freshwater sources increasingly scarce, degraded, and altered around the globe, competition over what limited available sources remain is mounting. Transboundary rivers, lakes and aquifers are sources of competition and disputes between states as to their use and management. Certain recent inter-state disputes have fed the popular media rhetoric of “water wars” being fought in the future. However, this overlooks recorded history and a general global trend towards international water agreements and basin institutions favouring diplomatic channels over armed conflict. Two global water conventions are now in force, but whether these are widely implemented, thereby facilitating transboundary cooperation, remains to be seen. This paper argues for a research agenda into how two global water conventions can support basin agreements and institutions to better regulate inter-state sharing over finite resources and strengthen dispute resolution mechanisms to avoid or resolve conflicts over transboundary waters in the Anthropocene.