Cooperation on Transboundary Waters

Shared water resources: promoting cooperation and protection of transboundary waters

Water is a scarce and precious resource that is under pressure. It crosses frontiers and causes tension among the States and stakeholders that share the world’s 276 international watercourses and about 270 transboundary aquifers[3]. Concerned about security, environment and poverty, Green Cross International’s water programme addresses the nexus between these three areas when it comes to shared resources and to fulfilling the human right to water and sanitation.

Agreements between states on how to manage these water resources exist for only about 40% of the world’s international watercourses. Many of them have significant gaps or failings. These governance weaknesses must be addressed if the international community aims to tackle global challenges such as a growing demand and climate change.

GCI is committed to helping promote good governance and cooperation over freshwater resources. We believe cooperation and integrated approaches are the solution to ensuring access to water for all and sustained aquatic ecosystems.

We promote this in three ways :
1 By working to increase cooperation among states and stakeholders, promoting protection and equitable use of transboundary basins.
2 By promoting ratification of the UN Watercourses Convention, the only global Convention that governs the use, management and protection of international watercourses.
3 By promoting these principles in all of our projects, including our Smart Water for Green Schools project located in transboundary basin areas. Everywhere, we aim to promote a shared vision over water resources.

The UN Watercourses Convention is a flexible and overarching global legal framework that establishes basic standards and rules for cooperation between watercourse states.
Implementation of the Convention will promote the equitable utilisation and environmental protection of international watercourses, catalysing regional integration and sustainable development around the world.
Green Cross International is leading efforts with partners such as WWF and the Global Water Partnership to help the UN Watercourses Convention enter into force by 2012.
(As of February 2011) the Convention has 22 contracting states - 13 short of the number required for full entry into force.

To learn more about the Convention, Click Here.

Case studySince 2006, Green Cross International has acted as a catalyst to protect transboundary ground water sources from pollution in Israel and Palestine. For example ... More informations

Downloads :
Everything you need to know about the UN Watercourses Convention :
an informational booklet about the Convention that includes freshwater facts and various case studies from around the world.
Download the English version Download the French version

Procedures for ratification/accession:
steps a government must follow to ratify or accede to the UN Watercourses Convention.
Download Document

[3] Underground water