Transboundary aquifers in the International Hydrological Program (UNESCO) and the development of

international groundwater law

“La sostenibilidad en el aprovechamiento de las aguas subterrane“La sostenibilidad en el aprovechamiento de las aguas subterraneas”as”27junio al 1 julio 200527junio al 1 julio 2005

Universidad Complutense Madrid Raya M. StephanRaya M. StephanCursos de Verano El Escorial UNESCOUNESCO--IHPIHP

Outline

I. Introduction to UNESCO-IHP

II. IHP ISARM project

III. International Groundwater LawIV. Transboundary aquifers at the UN

ILC and the cooperation with UNESCO-IHP

I. Introduction to UNESCO- IHP

The International Hydrological Program is the only global Intergovernmental scientific

programme on Water Resources of the UN system

* Created in 1975 after the International Hydrological Decade

* Member States define needs and plans of phases

* Growing emphasis on management and social aspects

International Hydrological Programme (IHP)

1965-1974 IHD: Experimental BasinsWorld Catal. of Very Large FloodsWorld Water Balance & WR of the E

1975-1980 IHP-I maintained a research orientation

1981-1983 IHP-II Hydrology and the Scientific bases for Rational water resources management

1984-1989 IHP III

1990-1995 IHP IV Hydrology and Water Resources for Sustainable Development

1996-2001 IHP-V Hydrology and Water Resources under Vulnerable Environment

2002-2007 IHP-VI Water Interactions: Systems at Risk and Social Challenges

International Hydrological Programme (IHP)

• Evolution of the Programme from a single discipline to multi-disciplinary

• Recent increased presence of the social science component IHP has become a truly inter-disciplinary programme capitalizing on the recognition that the solution of the world water problems is not just a technical issue

Water Interactions : Systems at Risk and Social

Challenges

Phase VI (2002-2007)International Hydrological Programme

of UNESCO

OVERVIEW OF THE SIXTH PHASE OF IHPTheme 3 Land Habitat Hydrology

Focal Area 3.1, Drylands (*)(**)Focal Area 3.2, Wetlands (*)Focal Area 3.3, Mountains (*)(**)Focal Area 3.4, Small islands and coastal zones (*)Focal Area 3.5, Urban areas and rural settlements (*)

Theme 4 Water and Society

Focal Area 4.1, Water, civilization and ethicsFocal Area 4.2, Value of waterFocal Area 4.3, Water conflicts - prevention and resolution (**)Focal Area 4.4, Human security in water-related disasters

and degrading environments (*)(**)Focal Area 4.5, Public awareness raising on water interactions (*)(**)

Theme 5 Water Education and Training

Focal Area 5.1, Teaching techniques and material development (*)(**)Focal Area 5.2, Continuing education and training for selected target groups (*)Focal Area 5.3, Crossing the digital divide (*)Focal Area 5.4, Institutional development and networking for WET (*)

(*) Indicates connections with FRIEND(**) Indicates connections with HELP

Theme 1 Global Changes and Water ResourcesFocal Area 1.1, Global estimation of resources: water

supply and water quality (*) (**)Focal Area 1.2, Global estimation of water withdrawals

and consumption (**)Focal Area 1.3, Integrated assessment of water resources

in the context of global land-based activities and climate change (*)(**)

Theme 2 Integrated Watershed and Aquifer DynamicsFocal Area 2.1, Extreme events in land and water

resources management (*)Focal Area 2.2, International River Basins and Aquifers(*)Focal Area 2.3, Endorheic Basins (*)Focal Area 2.4, Methodologies for integrated river basin

management (*)(**)

Two cross-cutting programmecomponents

• FRIEND Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data

• HELP Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy

through their operational concept, interact with all themes

FRIEND : a global projectFRIEND : a global project

General aims and organisational structure

Understand hydrological variability and similarity through time and spaceMutual exchange of data, models and research between countriesAdvance the knowledge of hydrological processes and flow regimesImprove techniques for analysing scenarios of environmental changeDevelop tools and methods for water resource management and flood controlCapacity building in developing countries

The HELP initiative is establishing a global network of catchments to improve the links between hydrology and the needs of society.

The HELP catchments provide a framework for scientists, managers and policy-experts to come together to address locally defined water related issues. These include:

- Water and food- Water and climate- Water and conflict- Water quality and human health- Water and the environment

HTTP://WWW.UNESCO.ORG/WATER/IHP/HELP

Real people Real catchments Real answers

Hydrology for the Environment, Life and

Policy

II. IHP ISARM projectInternationally Shared Aquifer Resources Management

At its 14th session, the intergovernmental Council of UNESCO’s IHP, representing 160 Member

States :

recognized that transboundary aquifer systems are important sources of fresh water in some regions of the

world,

decided to adopt a resolution to promote studies in regard to internationally shared aquifers Resolution XIV-12, June 2000

Objectives: • To improve the existing scientific knowledge on

transboundary aquifers

• To compile an international inventory of transboundary aquifers

• On the long term, to develop a toolkit for a management approach of transboundary aquifers

Multidisciplinary aspects of ISARM

• Legal – Treaties, interstate agreements

• Scientific– Hydrology, hydrogeology, conceptual modelling

• Socio-economic– Water security, accesibility, efficiency, poverty reduction

• Institutional Capacity Building– Awareness raising, counterpart agencies

• Environmental – Sustainability, biodiversity, risks, vulnerability

Internationally Shared Aquifer Internationally Shared Aquifer Resources ManagementResources Management

Their significance and sustainable management

A FRAMEWORK DOCUMENT(2001)

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001243/124386e.pdf

The ISARM Project- Launch of Regional Inventories

EUROPELinks & synergies with parallel activities

established e.g. UN ECE :

Under the UN ECE Water Convention 1992Inventory of transboundary aquifers in Europe

Guidelines on monitoring and assessment of transboundary

groundwaters• Monitoring programmes• Data management• Quality management• Joint action and institutional arrangements

http://www.unece.org/env/water/publications/documents/guidelinesgroundwater.pdf

The ISARM Project- Launch of Regional Inventories

AFRICAInternational workshop “Managing shared

aquifer resources in Africa”, Tripoli, June 2002recommends, inter alia

the inventory and the assessment of shared aquifer resources in Africa

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001385/138581m.pdf

The ISARM Project- Launch of Regional Inventories

North Africa and the Sahara

Inventory organised and coordinated by the Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel

Situation analysis of each transboundary aquifer

Transboundary aquifers in North Africa and the Transboundary aquifers in North Africa and the SaharaSahara

2

10

3

4

6

5

89

11

1

7

The ISARM Project- Launch of Regional Inventories

• Americas ISARM launched in the Americas in 2002

UNESCO/OAS Partnership

Identification of National Coordinators

Preliminary questionnaire on TB aquifers

First WorkshopFirst WorkshopMontevideo (Uruguay) September 2003

• Broad overview of what is know about GW shared by American countries

- hydro-geological characteristics- various water-land use situations- socio-economic problems- water legislation

• Identification of nine TB aquifers as case studies

Second workshopSecond workshop : El Paso, Texas, November 2004

• Presentations/discussions of the case studies• Overview of TB GW from the international fora

The legal aspect (national and international) The legal aspect (national and international) was identified as the most important one to be was identified as the most important one to be developed in the futuredeveloped in the future

http://www.oas.org/usde/isarm/ISARM_index_esp.hthttp://www.oas.org/usde/isarm/ISARM_index_esp.htmm clicar en clicar en ““DocumentosDocumentos””

The ISARM Project- Launch of Regional Inventories

• Balkans

Initiative launched in 2003

Collection of existing data on TB aquifers:1. Scientific-hydrological, hydraulic, water quality

and ecosystem characteristics2. Socio-economic data on water uses, institutions,

policies and stakeholders

First Consultative MeetingFirst Consultative MeetingThessaloniki (Greece), October 2004

Major result : updated inventory of transboundary aquifers in South Eastern Europe

(Phase I ISARM-Balkans)Phase II Development of methodologies for management and

detailed analyses (required)

Phase III Implementation (anticipated)

(www.inweb.gr)

2. Kupa

3. Kupa

4. Una

5. Cetina

6.Neretva

7. Sava1.Dragonja

30.Pelagonija& 31.Florina

Gevgelija 32.

Sandansky34.

9. Backa & Banat

10. Srem.

12.SW Serbia

11.West Serbia

13.

20. Central Serbia

14.

29.

16. Gaber-Nesla17. Znepole18. Tran

15.Zemen

Dojran.33 35.Gotze

Delchev36.Orvilos

37.Nastan38.Smolyan

39.Rudozem40.Erma Reka

46.Rezovska

45.Malko Tarnovo

41.Svilengrad42.Orestiada

43.Svilengrad44.Topolograd

25. Vjosa

26.Pagoni27.Mourgana

28.

19. East Serbia

8

47.Meric

Middle Sarmatian-Pontian GWB .22

23.Sarmatian & 24.Upper Jurassic-Lower Cret.GWB

21.Upper Pannonian-Lower Pleistocene

2. Kupa

3. Kupa

4. Una

5. Cetina

6.Neretva

7. Sava1.Dragonja

30.Pelagonija& 31.Florina

Gevgelija 32.

Sandansky34.

9. Backa & Banat

10. Srem.

12.SW Serbia

11.West Serbia

13.

20. Central Serbia

14.

29.

16. Gaber-Nesla17. Znepole18. Tran

15.Zemen

Dojran.33 35.Gotze

Delchev36.Orvilos

37.Nastan38.Smolyan

39.Rudozem40.Erma Reka

46.Rezovska

45.Malko Tarnovo

41.Svilengrad42.Orestiada

43.Svilengrad44.Topolograd

25. Vjosa

26.Pagoni27.Mourgana

28.

19. East Serbia

8

47.Meric

Middle Sarmatian-Pontian GWB .22

23.Sarmatian & 24.Upper Jurassic-Lower Cret.GWB

21.Upper Pannonian-Lower Pleistocene

The ISARM Project- Launch of Regional Inventories

• Mediterranean ESCWA countriesCurrent activities :

Study the Basalt aquifer : Syria and JordanDevelop a management framework for transboundary surface and groundwater resources: Syria and Lebanon

The outlook will be the development of management framework on selected aquifers (technical, social, legal

and environmental aspects)

III. International Groundwater Law

Sources of International Lawa. international conventionsb. international custom, c. the general principles of law recognized by

civilized nations; d. judicial decisions and the teachings of the most

highly qualified publicists of the various nations, (article 38 Statute of ICJ)

Global levelUN Convention on the Law of the Non-

navigational uses of international watercourses (21 May 1997)

• In 1971 the ILC started the study of the law on the non-navigational uses of international watercourses

• In 1994 the final version of the draft articles was presented at the General Assembly

UN Watercourse Conventionwww.un.org/law/cod/watere.htm

Definition of a WatercourseA system of surface waters and groundwaters

constituting by virtue of their physical relationship a unitary whole and normally flowing into a common terminus (article 2 a)

UN Watercourse Convention

Substantive Principles• Equitable and reasonable use : (article 5)Non-limitative list of factors to be considered (article 6)

• Obligation not to cause significant harm (article 7)

• General obligation to cooperate (article 8)• Regular exchange of data and information

(article 9)

UN Watercourse Convention

• Limited in its scope

– Aquifers not ‘related’ to surface water bodies (such as the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System) are excluded from the scope of the Convention.

– Groundwater and surface water do not necessarily share a ‘common terminus’.

UN Watercourse Convention

• Inadequacy of its provisionse.g- equitable and reasonable utilization: no explicit

hydrogeological factor- Obligation not to cause significant harm:not

stringent enough for GW- Regular exchange of « readily» available data:

rarely the case for GW

Regional level

• UN ECE Convention on the protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (1992)

- applies to all transboundary waters - Guided by the equitable and reasonable use principle,

the precautionary principle and the sustainable development

Regional level

Protocol on Water and Health (London 1999) (entry into force 4 August 2005)

- Applies to all waters, domestic and TB- Governed by the same principles as UN ECE

Water Convention- Promotes social, economic and environmental

values related to water

Regional level

• Revised Protocol on Shared Watercourses in the Southern African Development Community (2000)

Follows the model of the UN Watercourse Convention

Specific River Agreements

• Convention on Cooperation for the Protection and Sustainable Use of the River Danube (Sofia, 29 June 1994)

Applies to GW in the catchment areaGoal : to achieve sustainable and equitable

water managementBasic principles : Polluter pays, Precautionary

principle

Specific River Agreements

• Agreement on Cooperation for the protection and sustainable use of the waters of the Spanish-Portuguese Hydrographic Basins (Albufeira, 30 Nov. 1998)

Applies to all « Transborder waters »Promotes the regular and systematic exchange of

informationEstablishes consultation mechanisms

Specific River Agreements

• Agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Niger concerning the equitable sharing in the development, conservation and use of their common water resources (Maiduguri, 18 July 1990)

Applies to GW contributing to the flow of surface waters

Equitable sharing in the development, conservation and use of the water resources

Groundwater Agreements (I)

Very few treaties concern groundwater only:• Arrangement on the Franco-Genevese

Aquifer (1978) (an exception)– Joint body oversees use, protection, recharge– Annual water utilization programme

ARRANGEMENT ON THE PROTECTION, UTILISATION AND RECHARGE OF THE FRANCO-SWISS

GENEVESE AQUIFER(9 June 1977)

• Creates a Genevese Management Commission• Its Mandate :

- To propose a yearly aquifer utilization programme- To ensure the protection of the resource- To remedy possible causes of pollution

- It has the duty to inventory all existing water works

Artificial recharge

• Organises the artificial recharge of the aquifer (article 8)

• defines the cost sharing of the construction and of operating

• The necessary amount of recharge is calculated each year, based on the information provided by each user or group of users to the Commission on their estimated volume of extractions from the aquifer

Groundwater Agreements (II)

Two other GW agreements with limited scope:

• data collection and exchange for aquifer modelling• joint institutionNubian Sandstone Aquifer System (Chad,Egypt,

Libya, Sudan) (2000)

Northwestern Sahara Aquifer System(SASS - Algeria, Libya, Tunisia) (2002)

The Nubian Sandstone AquiferSystem• A joint Authority was established in 1991

between Egypt and Libya. Chad and Sudan joined later.

• the Authority is mainly responsible for collecting and updating of data and conducting studies.

The Nubian Sandstone AquiferSystem

In October 2000, the four States signed two agreements on procedures for data collection, sharing and access to the data system.

Hydrogeological sketch map of the SASS (Système Aquiferdu Sahara Septentrional)

SASS : Establishment of a consultation mechanism approved by the three States

(december 2002)

• A steering committee : national institutions in charge of the water resources

• A coordination unit within the Obesrvatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS)

• An ad hoc scientific committee for scientific evaluation and orientation: institutions and research centers

Main functions

• Maintenance of the database and model of the aquifer

• Regular exchange of data and information

Groundwater in environmental treaties

• African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (Maputo, 11 July 2003)

- concerns all water resources, renewable or not- precautionary principle, sustainable

development- considers ethical and traditional values- in case of TB waters : cooperation, equitable

and reasonable use

Groundwater in environmental treaties

• Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable development of the Carpathians (Keiv, 22 May 2003)

- Precautionary principle- Polluter pays- Public participation- Transboundary cooperation

What principles apply to TB aquifers ?

Principle of cooperation :exchange of data and information

Equitable and reasonable useNo harm ruleEnvironmental principles :

- Precautionary principle- Sustainable development

International Law Association(scholarly opinion)

• 1966 Helsinki Rules : concept of drainage basin

• 1986 Seoul Rules on groundwater : application of the Helsinki Rules to all groundwaters,

• Berlin Rules 2004 : application to domestic and transboundary waters. Introduction of environmental law.

Bellagio Draft Treaty 1989Model treaty drafted by a group of

multidisciplinary experts.Basic concepts• Designation of critical areas (hot spots)• Enforcement left to national agencies• Joint body with limited substantive

discretion, but power to take initiative

IV. Transboundary aquifers at the UN ILC and the cooperation with UNESCO-

IHP2002 : the ILC includes in its programme of work

the topic of “Shared Natural Resources”

• “confined” transboundary groundwaters• Oil• Natural gas

The development at the UN International Law Commission

• First report on outline (2003)• Second report (2004): transboundary

aquifers:Includes seven draft articlesthe scope, definitions, the obligation not to cause harm, the

general obligation to cooperate, the regular exchange of data and information, and the relationship between different kind of uses

The development at the UN International Law Commission

• Third report (2005)- complete set of draft articles for a convention on

the law of transboundary aquifers- Equitable and reasonable utilization with specific

factors concerning aquifers- Monitoring- Protection, preservation and management- Consideration of non-renewable groundwaters

The development at the UN International Law Commission

http://www.un.org/law/ilc/sessions/57/57docs.htm

UNESCO-IHP and the United Nations International Law Commission (UNILC) 2002

Within the framework of UNESCO-IHP ISARM project, a multidisciplinary ad-hoc task force of experts has been established by UNESCO in close cooperation with FAO and IAH to assist the Special Rapporteur of the UNILC on the preparation of a new International legal instrument on Transboundary Aquifers

UNESCO-IHP/ISARM scientific assistance to the Special Rapporteur

• Experts groups meeting in Paris and in Tokyo

• Preparation of documents and technical notes

• Meetings/working group sessions with the ILC members in Geneva

Regional meetings Transboundary aquifers and international law

• June 2004 : a first meeting with experts from the Arab world

• March 2005 : a second meeting with experts from the Americas

Regional meetings Transboundary aquifers and international law

• Objectives :Identifying • regional groundwater characteristics • State practices (domestic and

transboundary)

Creating a common language between hydrogeologists and lawyers

UNESCO Water Portalwww.unesco.org/water