The UN Watercourses Convention in Force

Cooperation towards the sustainable management of transboundary water supplies, in accordance applicable international legal instruments, is of crucial importance. This book provides an assessment of the role, relevance and future implementation of the UN Watercourses Convention - a global overarching framework governing the rights and duties of States sharing freshwater systems.

Part 1: Background and Evolution 1. Introduction 2. The progressive development of international water law 3. Possible Reasons Slowing Down the Ratification Process 4. Misconceptions Regarding the UN Watercourse Convention's Interpretation 5. Why Have States Joined the UN Watercourses Convention? Part 2: Entry into Force and Widespread Endorsement: Potential Effects on International Law and State Practice 6. The Authority and Function of the UN Watercourses Convention 7. Impacts on the International Architecture for Transboundary Waters 8. Factors that Could Limit the Effectiveness of the UN Watercourses Convention upon Entry into Force Part 3: The potential role and relevance of the UN Watercourses Convention in specific regions, basins and countries 9. West Africa 10. Southern Africa 11. Central America 12. Nile River Basin 13. Aral Sea Basin 14. Amazon Basin 15. Mekong Basin 16. Ethiopia 17. El Salvador Part 4: The UN Watercourses Convention, MEAs and International Water and Environmental Policy Goals 18. Convention on Climate Change 19. Convention to Combat Desertification 20. UNECE Water Convention 21. International Development and Environmental Goals Part 5: Beyond Entry into Force: Strengthening the Role and Relevance of the UN Watercourses Convention 22. An Institutional Structure to Support the Implementation Process 23. Filling Gaps: A Protocol to Govern Groundwater Resources of Relevance to International Law 24. Reconciling the UN Watercourses Convention with Recent Developments in Customary International Law Part 6: Emerging Challenges and Future Trends 25. Governing International Watercourses in an Era of Climate Change 26. Benefit Sharing in the UN Watercourses Convention and under International Water Law 27. Water Security - Legal Frameworks and the UN Watercourses Convention 28. Transboundary Water Interactions and the UN Watercourses Convention: Allocating Waters and Implementing Principles