Chapter 12. Transboundary Water Management: Conflict and Cooperation
The Kakhovka Dam in Russian-occupied Ukraine was destroyed on June 6, 2023, most likely by Russian forces. Source: New York Times.
This chapter focuses on conflict and cooperation over water, mostly in the context of transboundary waters: rivers and aquifers that cross state or national borders. It continues our discussion in Chapters 10 and 11 of how to share water among different groups, but broadens the lens to include international water bodies. We address questions such as these:
- Are “water wars” real, and is scarcity making them more common?
- What rules govern the allocation of shared water resources among different countries?
- What strategies can be used to shift transboundary water interactions from conflict to cooperation?
For more on Chapter 12 (including all the tables and figures), see below or download the powerpoint.