联合国教科文组织国际水文计划项目在东亚可持续水资源管理中的作用

For over 30 years, IHP (International Hydrological Programme) has been actively operating as a UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) international scientific cooperative programme in water research, water resources management, education and capacity-building, and the only broadly-based science programme of the UN (United Nations) system in this region. By a number of initiatives and networks, the IHP has progressively carried out activities on the quantity and quality of global/regional water resources, transboundary water resources management, mitigation of water related hazards, and water education. While addressing comprehensive areas over water challenges, greater emphasis has been placed on the role of water resources management for sustainable development and with respect to the expected changes in climate and environmental conditions. WWAP (World Water Assessment Programme) and its major product WWDR (World Water Development Report) in East Asia are under the framework of IHP which supports field oriented activities on monitoring freshwater, developing case studies, enhancing national assessment capacity, and facilitating decision making processes. In light of transboundary waters in IHP, RSC (Regional Steering Committee) plays a focal role for facilitating regional cooperation in the Southeast and East Asia and Pacific States. Furthermore, ISI (International Sediment Initiative) and IFI (International Flood Initiative) have significant roles, respectively, for the management of erosion and sedimentation in line with river system or reservoir management, and for the flood management focusing on capacity building of each country in East Asia. There are other major areas of concern under UNESCO’s IHP programme in East Asia, specifically in aspects including, mitigating water conflicts on transboundary aquifers through ISARM (International Shared Aquifer Resources Management), water management of arid areas through Water and Development Information for Arid Lands- A Global Network (Asian G-WADI), and sustainable management of groundwater by UNESCO Water Chair, as well as water education through the programme of Sustainable Water Integrated Management-Educational Component. Author: Ramasamy Jayakumar, native of India, Ph.D, specialized in application of remote sensing, GIS, geo-statistical methods in hydrogeological modelling and irrigation water management.     

"拓展亚洲国际河流跨境水与生态安全合作"国际学术研讨会在大理召开

The International Workshop on "Expanding Transboundary Cooperation for Water and Environment Security in Asia's International Rivers" was held on December 10-14, 2005, Dali, Yunnan, China. It was organized by Tsinghua University, the World Bank Institute (WBI), the United Nations University (UNU) and Asian International Rivers Center (AIRC). A total of over 60 scholars from the USA, Canada, Australia, Finland, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, India, Sri Lanka, Iran and China participated in this workshop. The topics include seeking reasonable utilization and sustainable conflict resolutions related to transboundary water resources, and transboundary eco-security maintenance; expanding cooperation between Asia and the rest of the world on international river issues, identifying potential opportunities; and possibility of a common research agenda for addressing environment changes in Mekong River Basin.     

哈萨克斯坦跨界河流国际合作问题

哈萨克斯坦是中亚地区的“大国”,与四周比邻的国家均存在跨界水体联系,有44%的地表水来自邻国。跨界河流水资源开发利用与生态环境保护问题,是涉及国家政治、经济、安全、外交大局的重大战略问题。通过分析哈国地表水分布特点,简要回顾总结了与其邻国在跨界河流方面的合作情况;对哈国所担忧的水安全问题及采取的主要对策,进行了深入剖析,并就跨界河流管理未来的合作路径、跨界河流利用未来的分水原则、哈俄跨界河流水污染未来的解决途径、中亚国家间解决咸海危机的前提条件等问题,进行了分析讨论;指出对共享水资源的管理既可以成为中亚地区和平的力量,也可能成为冲突的因素,管理这种相互依存的资源是当今国际社会面临的一项关系人类发展的重大挑战。研究哈萨克斯坦跨界河流国际合作及其对核心利益问题的观点、认识、所采取的不同策略,对于处理好中哈跨界河流问题具有积极现实意义。     

Management of transboundary water resources: lessons from international cooperation for conflict prevention

Tensions over freshwater resources may become more frequent as pressures on water resources grow due to increased demand and variability of rainfall. Conflicts may take place between or within countries or between competing sectoral users. This paper focuses on institutional approaches for enhancing cooperation between countries for sustainable development of transboundary freshwater bodies and contributing basins. It is assumed that instead of being zones of conflict, shared water resources can provide a basis for cooperation and benefit–sharing provided that threats to the international waters are recognized and collaborative structures are created. The paper draws upon experiences gained within the international waters focal area of the Global Environment Facility, the main funding mechanism for countries to support the environmental management of transboundary water resources. Lessons for promoting peaceful cooperation for environmental management, benefit–sharing and sustainable use of transboundary freshwater resources are highlighted through examples from Africa, Central Asia and Latin America. Experience shows the importance of processes that bring together all sectors and actors whose actions affect the transboundary waterbody at regional, national and local levels. The development of a science–based diagnostic analysis is essential to identify the threats to the transboundary ecosystem and to break down the issues into manageable parts with the aim of developing a strategic action programme. Ensuring political commitment that can result in institutional, policy and legal reforms in the countries concerned is the key to sustainable development of the transboundary resource.     

亚洲国际河流研究进展

1 General situation Entering the 21st century, resource and environmental diplomacy is regarded as a new element for establishing future international patterns of cooperation. Transboundary resources and environmental issues in international river basins …     

Calling for Nexus Approach: Introduction of the Flagship Programme on Climate,Ecosystems and Livelihoods

The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) launched at the end of 2016 a decade-long (2016-2025) flagship programme on Climate, Ecosystems and Livelihoods (CEL), with the aim to assist developing countries in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate targets while protecting their ecosystems and improving the livelihoods of their people. The CEL programme is a major initiative supported by China and other developing countries to promote long-term South-South cooperation, led by the United Nations Environment Programme International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP). This article presents the conceptual framework and implementation strategy of the CEL programme, which were proposed through consultations between UN Environment, Chinese and international experts. Within the conceptual framework, the CEL programme will 1) focus its work on the nexus of climate change, ecosystem services and sustainable livelihoods as the primary priority; 2) encourage cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder cooperation, enhance interdisciplinary research, and strive for breakthroughs that cross disciplinary boundaries; 3) provide four types of services and products—monitoring and assessment, capacity building, technology demonstration, and science for policy through mainly South-South cooperation; and 4) have far-reaching impacts on delivering SDGs and climate targets in vulnerable developing countries. The CEL programme is going to be implemented in a strategic way through a set of related projects and initiatives. More particularly, it will 1) focus on fragile ecosystems like drylands, mountains, river basins and coastal zones in Asia, Africa and other key regions along the Belt and Road, in the early stage and expand to include some other regions at a later stage; 2) take a three-phase approach, including Phase I, Kick -off (2016-2018), Phase II, Development (2019-2021), and Phase III, Scaling-up (2022-2025); and 3) draw on the globally relevant knowledge, expertise and other resources of a substantial network of partners. So far, UNEP-IEMP has developed more than twenty projects and initiatives in the regions along the Belt and Road, especially in Africa and the Greater Mekong Subregion, which lay a solid foundation for the implementation of CEL programme in its first phase.     

土库曼斯坦水资源现状及利用问题

土库曼斯坦地处亚洲中部干旱区西南部,沙漠广布,水资源短缺,是阿姆河等跨界河流水资源的主要消耗区,水资源利用问题及矛盾十分突出。开展该国水资源及其开发利用研究,对研究跨界河流及极度干旱区水资源可持续利用具有重要的借鉴意义。土库曼斯坦是中亚水资源总量最少的国家,河流多数跨界,出入境水量约为233×10⁸ m³,可利用水量远大于国内水资源总量,其中地表水资源总量约为9.39×10⁸ m³,地下水可开采量为5.69×10⁸ m³,而该国最主要的水利工程——卡拉库姆运河调来了阿姆河近1/3的水量,增加了灌溉面积。在水资源利用中,实际用水量的90%以上被用于农业灌溉,工业用水占7%左右,城市生活用水占2%。土库曼斯坦水资源主要靠调水工程和灌渠从界外引入,由于缺乏技术和资金支持,基础设施老化、管理混乱、水资源纷争复杂多变等水资源利用问题十分突出。在全球变化背景下,土库曼斯坦应加强在水资源的合理配置与高效利用、水资源国际合作等方面的工作,合理开发利用水资源。     

Research progress on international rivers in Asia

With the regional population growth, socioeconomic development, more and more attention has been paid to issues on the shared water allocation and the transboundary eco-security conservation during the development of water resources in the international rivers. In this paper, the existing major problems on transboundary waters in different sub-regions of Asia, such as water shortage, transboundary waters pollution, fragile eco-environment are discussed. Then, the key scientific issues to be concerned in the next study progress on the basis of the analyses of the new research directions and focus fields are raised: (1) unpredicted changes of the hydrologic and water system, and their impacts on the allocation of the sharing waters by global changes; (2) models of the international cooperation on the international rivers on the studies of international and national water laws or regulations, policies, the relative experiences and the case studies; (3) quantificational assessment on environmental flow, available water, and the comprehensive functions and values of the international watercourse system; (4) studies on transboundary aquatic bio-diversity maintenance, transboundary pollution supervision and treatment under the rules and principles accepted by the riparian states; (5) issues on transboundary compensation at the rules of “payments for using”, “payments for harm” and “compensation for benefit”; (6) using advanced 3S techniques to promote the integrated watershed development and management; and so on.     

中国西北“水三线”空间格局与水资源配置方略

水是西北地区可持续发展的生命线,中国西北地区占国土总面积35.9%,水资源约占全国水资源总量的5.7%。从水文气象、生态景观与社会经济的演变角度,面向水资源优化配置、生态环境与社会经济协调发展,探索提出西北“水三线”的划分格局,即“胡焕庸线”“阳关线”和“奇策线”。“水三线”是西北水资源合理开发利用的优化配置线、西北生态文明与环境保护的特征分区线、“一带一路”建设的战略制导线和边疆长治久安、社会稳定的国家安全线。针对西北地区水资源开发利用存在的问题、面临的挑战以及西北稳定发展的地理与历史之忧,本文通过对西北调水方案的初步分析,提出了西北“水三线”建设的空间格局与水资源配置方略,即通过建设南水北调大西线这一重大的基础工程,跨越“胡焕庸线”,促进中国东西部地区间适度均衡发展;跨越“阳关线”,促进河西走廊社会经济发展;跨越“奇策线”,增强新疆水资源及环境承载能力,建设和谐美丽、长治久安的西北边疆,形成以西北“水三线”建设为构架的水资源梯度配置格局,支撑西北地区经济社会稳定发展、生态文明建设,促进国土资源、人口分布、产业经济的空间均衡、优化布局、协调发展,为“一带一路”建设提供水资源保障。     

Assessing the Ecological Carrying Capacity of Countries along the Belt and Road

The Belt and Road Initiative (B&R Initiative) is a crucial strategy to promote regional sustainable development in the new era. However, the realization of the B&R Initiative faces huge challenges because of the dual characteristics of a fragile eco-environment and strong dependence on ecological resources for economic development in the Belt and Road (B&R) countries. The ecological carrying capacity (ECC) is a crucial indicator for evaluating regional sustainable development. From the perspective of the relationship between the supply and consumption of ecological resources, this study uses net primary productivity data to measure the supply capacity of ecological resources, and it uses the agricultural production and trade data provided by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to measure the level of ecological resource consumption. These supply and consumption data are then used to assess the ECC and ecological carrying status (ECS) of the B&R countries in 2017. The results show that: (1) The ECC of the B&R is 11.097 billion people; the ecosystem can also support 6.433 billion people, and the ECC is in a state of rich and surplus. (2) The ECS is polarized among the regions and countries along the B&R. Of the 65 countries, the ECC of 40 countries is in a rich and surplus state, mainly in Mid-East Europe and Southeast Asia, while the ECC of 19 countries is in severe overload, mainly in West Asia/Middle East. (3) Although the ecosystems still have ample carrying space in countries along the B&R, ecological protection is still facing enormous challenges during the implementation of the B&R Initiative combined with the internationally recognized ecological protection standards as well as the forecasts of the population and economic development. As the core content of building a new international trade network, the B&R Initiative will help to solve the spatial mismatch between the supply and consumption of ecological resources, which provides a new opportunity to coordinate the contradiction between the ecological protection and social demands of the B&R countries.     

The key indicators of transboundary water apportionment based on international laws and cases

Transboundary water, more competitive utilization and uncertain availability under the globalization trend, the issue of its apportionment which directly impacts national benefits of each riparian state is becoming one of the important topics in the world. Water is scarce in China, the most important upstream state in Asia, and this task has to be thought over in the coming future. Based on ＂International Freshwater Treaties Database＂ （1820-2007） by Oregon State University, and publications and reports on transboundary water utilization and management since 1999, 28 indicators of water apportionment adopted in 49 international treaties and cases in 1864-2002 are divided into 6 types, the spatial and temporal characteristics of the adopted indicators are analyzed in order to find the key indicator（s） of transboundary water apportionment. The major results include： the major adopted indicators, have significant differences among 5 regions/continents, the indicators at rank first and second place in the developed region （North America and Europe） according to the adopted times are ＂keeping minimum water flow＂ and ＂mean annual runoff＂, but in the developing region （Asia, Africa and South America）, the ranking order of the above two indicators is reversed; the major adopted indicators in the watersheds with insufficient water are ＂mean annual runoff＂ and ＂keeping minimum water flow＂, the ones in the watersheds with sufficient water are ＂keeping minimum water flow＂ and ＂maximum water intake＂; the international treaties signed from the first phase to the fourth phase, the developing process shows a progress of ＂fewer-increasing a lot-decreasing rapidly-equation basically＂, the regional distribution of the treaties shifts mainly from the developed region to the developing one, especially to Asia and Africa; the major adopted indicators shifts from ＂keeping minimum water flow＂ and ＂mean annual runoff＂ in 1864-1945, to ＂keeping minimum water flow＂ and ＂maximum water intake＂ in 1946-1971, then to ＂hydraulic facility operation＂ and ＂mean annual runoff＂ in 1972-1991, and finally to ＂keeping minimum water flow＂ and ＂mean annual runoff＂ in 1992-2002, the process shows similar a loop. Finally, the key indicator on transboundary water apportionment can be determined as ＂keeping minimum water flow＂.     

约旦河跨境水冲突的地缘环境研究

随着气候变化、人口增长和经济发展,全球水资源供需矛盾日益突出,国际河流跨境水冲突不断加剧。地处中东的约旦河是世界上跨境水冲突最严重的河流。1948—2008年约旦河跨境水冲突事件数量占全球总量的1/5,战争性跨境水冲突数量占同级别总量的2/3。本文以地缘价值、地缘关系和地缘结构为模块构建国际河流跨境水冲突地缘环境分析框架,考察约旦河跨境水冲突事件的时空演化及其形成的地缘机制。研究发现,约旦河跨境水冲突的地缘目标集中于水资源战略要地,且按水资源地“主要→核心→次要”空间转移;跨境水冲突事件在时序上呈现从以色列争夺水权为主向域内阿拉伯国家讨还水权为主演化;跨境水冲突地缘体结构中以色列主动发起的跨境水冲突占六成多,域内阿拉伯国家和域外地缘体发起的各约占二成。基于地缘环境分析框架的研究得出以下结论：约旦河流域区位的地缘价值吸引域外大国直接介入,促成跨境水冲突向有利于美国—以色列利益的方向发展;域内地缘体的“水资源地”竞争地缘关系强于“水量”竞争地缘关系,对约旦河跨境水冲突具有强化作用;以色列作为约旦河地缘结构中的水霸权,对该流域跨境水冲突的基本态势和时空分布格局具有主导作用。     

Water conservation in the Arab region: a must for survival

The Arab region covers an area over 13 million square kilometers in size, with almost 90% of its area classified as arid or extremely arid with very little precipitation, extremely high evaporation and almost no vegetation cover. The region is classified in many international reports as the poorest region in the world in the context of renewable water resources and critical water scarcity which hinders the socio-economic development of many countries in this region. The rapidly increasing population has reduced the per capita share of renewable water to less than the poverty line of 1,000 m 3 /(capita·a) and, in some Arab countries, to less than the extreme poverty line of 500 m 3 /(capita·a). This has led to over-exploitation of non-renewable groundwater and desalination of salty water in many countries with considerable costs and contamination of many renewable sources. Atmospheric processes responsible for aridity in the Arab region are projected to intensify due to climate change, resulting in an alarming decrease in precipitation and increase in evaporation rates. Many concerned entities in the region consider water security as a key element for food security and ultimately political stability. Hence, various efforts have been exerted to identify key problems and suggested solutions. The Arab Water Ministers Council of the Arab League, as well as Reports of the Arab Forum for the Environment and Development (AFED) and the recommendations of the 13th Regional Meeting of the Arab National Committees of the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO (IHP), have all made similar recommendations on the need to address the issues of water scarcity in the Arab region which will be further discussed in this paper. However, none of these reports focused on "Water Conservation" as an equally important action for coping with water scarcity in the region. There are many definitions for "Water Conservation" in the scientific literature, including huge water savings from irrigation, industrial use, and domestic use as well as methods and approaches for augmenting water supply through non-conventional practices such as water harvesting and waste water reuse. In this paper, a review is provided for definitions, methods and impacts of water conservation and its role in alleviating water scarcity in the Arab region.     

Progress in the Research on Benefit-sharing and Ecological Compensation Mechanisms for Transboundary Rivers

Transboundary rivers have important geopolitical and geo-economic connotations, but riparian states of transboundary rivers are often driven by their own rapid population growth and economic development to be-come involved in regional conflicts about the development and use of water resources. Therefore, finding a balance between the need for fair and reasonable development of water resources and the effective protection of environment from an ecological perspective has become a major problem faced by the international community. This paper begins with consideration of international water laws related to transboundary rivers and then reviews advances in the research on benefit-sharing, ecological compensation mechanisms, and adaptive management systems. We believe that existing international water laws form a complete legal system and that more attention needs to be paid to transboundary cooperation and sustainable water resource use. With respect to how transboundary water conflicts are resolved, there is a trend to move away from single water resource allocation (a zero-sum game) to benefit-sharing in order to achieve a win-win situation for riparian states, but there are still some difficulties in transboundary ecological compensation. In China, the central government has paid attention to horizontal ecological compensation between upstream and downstream, offering guidance to promote establishment of inter-province ecological compensation. Based on existing practice, horizontal ecological compensations are still in their infancy, small in scale, supported by a weak legal system, lacking market mechanisms to encourage their use and relying on fiscal transfers as the method of payment. In the future, China will need to intensify its research on legal system development, international cooperation, and benefit-sharing as these impact transboundary water resources. Because government can be seen as a management department with multiple identities (enabler, regulator and buyer), to improve adaptive transboundary ecological compensation mechanisms, government must develop as soon as possible data sharing platforms, standards of water consumption behaviors and intergovernmental policies (or ordinances).     

基于模糊综合评价模型的中亚水资源开发潜力评估

定量评估水资源开发潜力对掌握区域水资源开发现状、提高水资源利用率具有重要意义。通过选取水资源利用率、灌溉率、地表水控制率、人均占有水量、重复利用率、生活用水定额、供水量模数、生态环境用水率等8个重要指标，借助模糊综合评价模型对中亚五国水资源开发潜力进行定量分析。结果表明：中亚地区整体水资源开发利用处于中级阶段，开发潜力综合评分值为0.502 7，表明开发潜力较大。其中，哈萨克斯坦水资源综合评分值最高，为0.712 4，有很大的开发潜力，但要注意摒弃不合理的水资源利用方式；吉尔吉斯斯坦和塔吉克斯坦综合评分值分别为0.591 1、0.488 7，有较大的开发潜力，但应注意由广度开发逐渐向深度开发转变。下游国家土库曼斯坦和乌兹别克斯坦处于开发利用的高级阶段，综合评分值分别为0.352 6、0.315 0，水资源开发潜力较小。今后应注意发展节水型经济，注重水资源综合管理。     

哈萨克斯坦水环境与水资源现状及问题分析

水是最重要的自然资源之一,水资源的可利用量取决于自然条件和人为因素两个方面。亚洲中部干旱区水资源有限,近年来河湖萎缩、生态环境系统退化,已成为区域社会经济持续发展的瓶颈。以丝绸之路经济带沿线国家之一哈萨克斯坦内按照水资源需求程度划分的八大流域作为研究区,在进行各个流域水质及水资源现状特征分析的基础上,通过径流占比、人为影响程度以及水资源需求程度等3项指标分别对八大流域水资源进行综合评估,并采用可变模糊优选模型评价哈萨克斯坦境内不同流域人类活动对水资源的影响程度,对八大流域进行轻微、中等和显著等3个影响程度的等级划分。结果表明：人类活动对锡尔河-咸海及伊希姆河流域水资源以及水环境的影响程度处于显著水平,而且前者流域水质污染问题较为严重;乌拉尔河-里海流域的地表径流占比最高,但该区域因大量油气资源开发对水资源需求量非常高,处于危险等级。巴尔喀什湖-阿拉湖流域的用水需求处于临界程度,属于第三类（处于危重程度）。额尔齐斯河流域水储量最为丰富,但流域中游哈萨克斯坦境内矿产开发引起的水质污染严重。另外,近几十年来哈萨克斯坦地表径流变化分析表明,1965年以来年总径流量减少39.4 km³,其中跨境径流量减少23 km³,境内径流减少16.5 km³。近年虽然灌溉面积和工业活动减少,年均耗水量也有所减少,但是人口增长导致公共服务和生活等方面耗水量增加2.58 km³,区域水资源供需矛盾日益凸显。因此,需要综合考虑各国利益和整个区域社会经济与生态环境的和谐可持续发展,共同商定水资源开发利用及保护的措施。     

竺可桢与我国自然资源研究

竺可桢同志做为中国科学院副院长于1956年兼任我院综合考察委员会的第一任主任,我们就一直在他所领导的考察队中工作,倍受他的关怀与教益。他是我国自然资源综合考察的奠基人,在他的领导与指导下,开拓了自然资源研究这一新兴的科学园地。值此纪念竺老诞生九十四周年和他离开我们十周年的时候,更加缅怀他为发展我国自然资源科学研究方面的杰出贡献。激励我们要更好地继承和发展他的科学思想,为使我国丰富的自然资源与多采的自然条件在四个现代化建设中发挥更大作用,做出我们应有的贡献。     

国际水文计划发展与中国水资源研究体系构建

国际水文研究计划(International Hydrological Program; IHP) 是国际水资源研究展示的大舞台,其发展是国际水资源研究发展的集成体现。国际水文计划的研究历程和发展态势表明,水资源研究已从单学科研究过渡到了多学科的集成研究。随着社会因子的增加,水资源研究已经成为一项系统工程。从水资源研究的发展来看,中国水资源研究整体上要滞后于国际水资源研究的步伐,但发展态势较好。中国水资源研究体系应具有显著的圈层结构特征,变化环境中的-水资源研究体系过程与机理是水循环研究的核心,构成了圈层结构的内圈;基于生态水文过程的水资源保育与保障体系是中国水资源研究体系的第二圈层;基于自然-人工二元演化模式的水资源配置体系,基于现代理、化、生技术和信息技术的节水体系以及基于市场机制的水资源高效利用的激励体系构成了水资源研究体系的第三圈层。在上述三个圈层研究的基础上,进行基于现代信息技术和管理技术的水资源综合决策和集成管理研究,以及基于现代传媒技术的水资源教育与培训体系构成了中国水资源研究体系的最高层次,是圈层结构中的外圈层。     

The geography of water conflict and cooperation: internal pressures and international manifestations

Studies on transboundary water conflict and cooperation generally consider interstate relations over shared water resources as distinct from intrastate relations. While connections have been made between international water relations and regional relationships in general, it is conceivable that international water conflict and cooperation may also be influenced by domestic water events and vice versa. This paper seeks to investigate the dynamics of water interactions across geographic scale and their relationship to broader international affairs. The research approach involves the creation of an analytical framework for assessing possible linkages between external and internal interactions over freshwater resources. The framework is applied to three case studies – the Middle East, South Asia and Southern Africa – utilizing 'event data'. To validate the findings from the quantitative analyses, the results are compared with conventional qualitative understandings of water and overall relations in the three regions. The comparison demonstrates not only the efficacy of the analytical framework in general, but also highlights, at least in terms of the specific case studies selected, the disparate water dynamics across geographic regions and the importance of considering water events, both national and international, within larger political and historical contexts.     

Environmental and political implications of Vietnam's water vulnerabilities: A multiscale assessment

Vietnam's low‐lying areas of the Lower Mekong Basin are prone to floods, salt water inundation, and riparian competition with upstream neighbours. Vietnam's opening to the global economy, accompanied by industrialization and a rapidly growing population, impose multiscale (global, regional, local) stresses on urban and rural water systems resulting in water contamination and groundwater overdraft. Water vulnerability is a function of both natural and social hazards and depends on the scope of capital investment, political and ideological institutions, managerial capacity and governance. Water distribution and riparian ecosystem health are also hydropolitical issues related to dam‐building activity by Vietnam and its transboundary neighbours, Laos, Cambodia and particularly China, whose territory contains the source of the Mekong River. A multiscale assessment of Vietnam's interlinked water vulnerabilities indicates that the resilience of the country's social‐ecological water system rests on peaceful resolution of regional transboundary conflicts based on shared economic interests and on improved managerial practices of local authorities.