Rivers and reciprocity: perceptions and policy on international watercourses

Zhong, Yong; Hu, Heping; Grey, D. R.; Gilmont, Michael

doi:10.2166/wp.2016.229

Cited by 18 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…6 The US government was a historical patron of the basin development since 1953 not only to promote peace among Southeast Asian nations but also to ensure its influence in Thailand military outputs and deter the spread of communism during the Cold War in Southeast Asia (Glassman, 2003). 7 Since most of the MDM calls for better transparency of the operational hydrological data have been related to the Chinese and Laotian mainstream dams, more information gaps about other ongoing downstream hydropower dams need to be addressed (Zhong et al 2016, Mirumachi 2015. 8 Most of the references mismatch the EoE Study for the Stimson Center commentary which already develops the EoE Study conclusions (see Table S1).…”

Section: Eyes On Earth Study Implications On Accountable Research Dia...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Socio-hydrology, politicization of water science and implication of the Eyes on Earth Study on the contemporary research dialogue in the Lancang-Mekong Basin

Grünwald¹,

Wang

Yan³

2022

Preprint

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Abstract. Since April 2020, the Eyes on Earth Study has received significant media attention for considering the Chinese mainstream reservoirs as one of the main drivers for changing the natural water flow and compounding the severe droughts in the Lancang-Mekong Basin. Unlike other hydrological studies, the Eyes on Earth Study polarized the international research community and received unusual media attention. While the Eyes on Earth Study raised public awareness about upstream water operations and motivated civil society to co-develop the water knowledge, there can be found numerous shortcomings and other irregularities in the current research dialogue over the research conclusions. By drawing on the politicization of scientific theories and combining the socio-hydrology with critical political ecology, the presented paper (1) conceptualizes the human-water interaction in the context of the politicization of the EoE Study, (2) reviews current development pathways in contemporary research dialogue in the Lancang-Mekong Basin, and (3) examines contemporary challenges for water science. To re-define the politicization of water science, the constructivist discourse analysis has been applied to investigate the argumentation patterns over the Eyes on Earth Study in the last 18 months (April 2020–September 2021). In addition, we applied the adapted Baker’s model to double-check the content of the EoE Study and degree of alignment with high-quality research inputs. Our data show that (i) benefits from ensuring the standard research procedures outweigh the benefits from using the alternative research procedures, (ii) gradual stratification of contemporary research channels and simplification of research findings contribute to political distrust towards the water science, and (iii) growing intervention of non-traditional actors in the research dialogue produce the gap in applied discourse practices and medialize the desirable water narratives. The topic is highly actual and beneficial for water experts and other interdisciplinary scientists who want to better understand the power of hydrological studies and clarify the incentives undermining the trust in science.

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Section: Eyes On Earth Study Implications On Accountable Research Dia...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Socio-hydrology, politicization of water science and implication of the Eyes on Earth Study on the contemporary research dialogue in the Lancang-Mekong Basin

Grünwald¹,

Wang

Yan³

2022

Preprint

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“…The Convention on the Law of Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UNWC), came into force in 2014, when Viet Nam became the 35th global signatory. The UNWC provides a solid foundation for the sustainable and peaceful management and conservation of international watercourses [24][25][26][27]. Neither Cambodia nor Lao PDR have signed the convention.…”

Section: Global Agendasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aligning the Freshwater Health Index Indicator System against the Transboundary Water Governance Framework of Southeast Asia’s Sesan, Srepok, and Sekong River Basin

Liu

Souter²,

Wang

et al. 2019

Water

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Indicator systems can improve water governance by integrating and simplifying data on water resources. However, to our knowledge, no indicator systems have been comprehensively assessed against the water governance framework within which they operate. We assess the policy relevance of the Freshwater Health Index (FHI) to the governance frameworks of Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Viet Nam. These governance frameworks were chosen because the FHI has been applied to the transboundary Sesan, Srepok, and Sekong (3S) river basin, which traverses the three nations. We conduct an institutional analysis, assessing the FHI indicators against each nation’s relevant laws, plans, policies and strategies, as well as international agreements. The FHI indicators varied in their alignment with the 3S’s transboundary water governance framework. Ecosystem Vitality indicators, which measure environmental health, tended to show a greater alignment than Ecosystem Service indicators. The Governance and Stakeholders indicators, which assess aspects of the governance system, were highly relevant. Comparing the 3S FHI assessment results to the water governance framework provided a case for delivering environmental flows and headwater reforestation, and improving biodiversity protection and fish passage. The generally close alignment of FHI metrics with the 3S’s water governance frameworks shows that the FHI is a policy-relevant tool.

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“…Source: Wolf et al (1999) The mandate of the United Nations (UN) in managing transboundary water resources remains limited, therefore, water laws are more regional than global, which indicates there is a vacuum of water governance at the global level (Gupta et (Zhong et al, 2016). However, it remains applicable only to those countries which ratified it (Albrecht et al, 2017).…”

Section: Figure 2 Transboundary Water Basins In Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

Transboundary Water Resources for People and Nature: Challenges and Opportunities in the Olifants River Basin

et al. 2019

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This paper proposes that transboundary water governance needs to become an essential input to sustainable governance of protected natural reserves. The paper reviews the challenges and opportunities for such governance mechanisms, and identifies the factors behind successful practices. Successful transboundary governance of water and nature requires the reduction of associated transaction costs. Firstly, water diplomacy through joint research, data collection and monitoring, capacity building, dialogues for consensus building, promoting responsible leadership and providing advisory support can help in overcoming mistrust between stakeholders and create opportunities for cooperation. Secondly, power asymmetries may hinder transboundary water governance, therefore, there is a need to involve multi-scale links across stakeholders to counterbalance local power asymmetries and engage all stakeholders in consultations and negotiations. Thirdly, transboundary water governance is critically dependent on accurate and transparent data and analysis tools for informing policy decisions. Science-policy interactions for facilitating transboundary water governance were found to be most effective when the knowledge on joint water and nature governance is coproduced in a trans-disciplinary manner, in collaboration with wide-ranging informal networks of scientists, policy makers, and civil society. Finally, transboundary water governance organizations can serve as platforms for facilitating water diplomacy, building trust and cooperation, especially when they are granted the ability to enter into binding cooperative agreements regardless of external political pressures.

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Rivers and reciprocity: perceptions and policy on international watercourses

Cited by 18 publications

References 10 publications

Socio-hydrology, politicization of water science and implication of the Eyes on Earth Study on the contemporary research dialogue in the Lancang-Mekong Basin

Socio-hydrology, politicization of water science and implication of the Eyes on Earth Study on the contemporary research dialogue in the Lancang-Mekong Basin

Aligning the Freshwater Health Index Indicator System against the Transboundary Water Governance Framework of Southeast Asia’s Sesan, Srepok, and Sekong River Basin

Transboundary Water Resources for People and Nature: Challenges and Opportunities in the Olifants River Basin

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