Management of Transboundary Water Resources under Scarcity

Water scarcity due to climate change, population growth, and economic development is a critical issue in many semi-arid and arid regions around the world. Water scarcity is especially critical in regions where water is shared by several riparian states and used for competing purposes (irrigation, domestic, industry, environment, and hydropower). There is evidence that water scarcity may give rise to conflicts among the riparian states that share water basins. At the same time, there is evidence that proper arrangements among riparian states create a basis for cooperation, which is a necessary condition for economic development, food production, environmental sustainability, and poverty reduction. This book presents a collection of work presented by a group of academics and policy experts dealing with the impact of water scarcity and variability on the ability to jointly manage shared water and the derived welfare of international states and nations sharing international river basins, consisting of economics, technology, law and institutions, geography, and international relations. The book covers theoretical aspects of management of transboundary water as well as case studies from hotspots around the world. The unique aspect of this book is the multidisciplinary nature of the chapters, reflecting a new field of research that will gain popularity as water scarcity will increase over time and across regions. The chapters from the book were presented at the "Management of Transboundary Water Resources under Scarcity: Perspectives on Agriculture and Food Security" workshop held at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, from June 22 to 23, 2015.Contents: Acknowledgments Foreword (Aaron Wolf) About the Editors About the Contributors Introduction and Conclusion (Ariel Dinar and Yacov Tsur) Economic, Institutional, and Technological Aspects in Management of Transboundary Water Under Scarcity: Closing the (Widening) Gap Between Natural Water Resources and Water Needs in the Jordan River Basin: A Long-Term Perspective (Yacov Tsur) Exploring Benefits and Scope of Cooperation in Transboundary Water Sharing in the Amu Darya Basin (Anik Bhaduri and Maksud Bekchanov) Distributional Impacts of Welfare Allocations from Damming the Nile River (Getachew Nigatu and Ariel Dinar) Issue Linkage: A Mechanism for Managing Conflict, Applied to the Mekong Basin (Kim Hang Pham Do and Ariel Dinar) Water Treaty Models: Proposed International Legal and Institutional Framework for Conjunctive Management of Surface and Groundwater Along the US–Mexico Border Region (María Milanés-Murcia) A New Paradigm for Transboundary Water Agreements: The Opportunity for Israel and Palestine (David B Brooks and Julie Trottier) Managing and Valuing Water: Disputes Over International Watercourses: Can River Basin Organizations Make a Difference? (Sabine Blumstein and Susanne Schmeier) Transboundary Water Management Along the Tagus River Basin in the Iberian Peninsula: Sustainable Water Allocation of the Aqueduct Tagus-Segura (María Milanés-Murcia) Institutional Settings in Transboundary Water Management: Lessons From the Fergana Valley and the Lower Jordan Basin (Christine Bismuth and Bernd Hansjürgens) Regional Cooperation in River Basin Rehabilitation: Estimating Economic Benefits of Alternatives for Jordan River Restoration (Nir Becker and David Katz) Readership: Policy makers and academics in the field of water resource management from various fields such as international relations, geography, economics, law, and public policy. Keywords:International Water;Climate Change;Population Growth;Economic Development;Pollution;International Relations;Water Law;;Economic Optimization;Water Scarcity;Conflict;CooperationReview:Key Features: Combines a multidisciplinary analysis of transboundary water management under scarcity Balances theory and case studies Includes a set of case studies (Nile, Mekong, Jordan, Aral Sea, Rio Bravo, Mount Aquifer, Kidron/Nar) from hotspots...