The Circle of Hydro-Hegemony between riparian states,development policies and borderlands: Evidence from the Talas waterscape (Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan)

Since the 1990s, transboundary water management has come to play a key role both in global environmental politics debates and in the shaping of international development policies, specifically in the Global South. As a consequence, a growing body of literature in the framework of critical hydropolitics has emerged reflecting on the role that power, discourses, and strategies play in shaping transboundary water policies and in influencing riparian relations. The focus on a state-centric perspective, however, often has led to neglect of the role of international development actors in shaping these policies. Through a critical application of the Circle of Hydro-Hegemony (CHH) and ethnographic qualitative field research in borderlands, this contribution aims to analyse how the establishment of a development initiative known as the Chu-Talas Commission, supported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and other donors, has influenced and shaped transboundary water politics in the Talas waterscape, which is shared by Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The evidence shows that despite the international narration of the Chu-Talas Commission as a success story for water cooperation in Central Asia, Kazakhstan, through the deployment of both material and bargaining power strategies, has been able to shape UNECE development policies in its favour, impose its agenda on Kyrgyzstan, and emerge as the basin hydro-hegemon.     

Analysis on exploitation status,potential and strategy of groundwater resources in the five countries of Central Asia

As an important part of water resources of the five countries of Central Asia, groundwater resources give critical supports to the regional economic development. Accompanied by rapid economic development, the demand of groundwater is increasing. As a result, the governments are paying more attention to groundwater resource development and utilization. However, there are noticeable issues and contradictions in water resource exploration in these countries. To be more specific, these countries lack the studies in development potential and conception planning, thus influencing the sustainable groundwater development. This paper mainly discusses groundwater development problems in the five countries of Central Asia, and briefly introduces volumes and distribution of transboundary groundwater. In addition, it analyzes the current exploitation status of groundwater and studies the potential in utilizing the resource. Most importantly, it proposes creative ways to address groundwater development issues: To make best of the resource, international cooperation is required.     

Features of groundwaters in basins shared between Ethiopia and Kenya and the implications for international legislation on transboundary aquifers

The implementation of laws relating to transboundary aquifers necessitates field knowledge so that the laws can be coincident with reality on the ground. The definition of ‘shared aquifer’ is more complex than the mere physically shared body of groundwater flowing from country A to country B. The border between Ethiopia and Kenya is characterized by low-volume groundwater storage and low transboundary flows. However, groundwater has visible environmental, social and economic functions. The characteristics of groundwater flow and storage in aquifers shared between Ethiopia and Kenya are different from those used in setting the foundation of the international legal framework on shared aquifers. By describing the characteristics of the groundwaters that are shared between Ethiopia and Kenya, this work demonstrates that the international legal framework is inadequate when applied in this region. The main inadequacies are: (1) international law does not specify the minimum volume of transboundary flow in an aquifer for it to qualify to be treated under the law, and (2) the physical aspects of water get more emphasis than the functions of groundwater. A more adequate international legal framework would be one that considers specific types of groundwater and local needs.     

“Yes to Peace”? Environmental peacemaking and transboundary conservation in Central America

The use of transboundary conservation as tools for improving interstate relations has become a widely supported initiative in nature conservation. The rationale follows the environmental peacemaking hypothesis, which argues that seemingly neutral environmental issues can provide a sound basis for cooperation between states. The paper investigates the hypothesis’ premise through the case of International System of Protected Areas for Peace (Si-A-Paz), a transboundary protected area shared by Costa Rica and Nicaragua. In recent years, both countries have been involved in a number of border conflicts within Si-A-Paz and linked to the use of the San Juan River, contested land areas, and oil resources. The case of Si-A-Paz shows that transboundary environmental issues can provide arguments for maintaining or even strengthening conflicts rather than fostering peace between states. The case also shows the emergence of environmental issues as a new arena for geopolitical play, where actors not only justify their actions through an environmental discourse but also, the environmental discourse is stretched to include a variety of issues through which actors can obtain international support. The events in Nicaragua and Costa Rica raise questions about the role of transboundary conservation as a peacebuilding tool.     

International economic institutions: Formal mechanisms for dealing with resource conflict

States employ international economic institutions as formal mechanisms in resource related conflict management. It is little known that states incorporate water resource management treaties in regional trade agreements (REIs) to jointly manage (1) the multifaceted use of rivers and (2) the territorial implications of rivers as borders. Both can lead to political tensions. I evaluate institutional effectiveness, through REI institutional design, in militarized interstate conflict. The role of trade institutions in geo-politics is a broad theme addressed. African dyads, REIs and conflict from 1950 to 1996 are the focus. I test the liberal hypothesis that institutions diminish the likelihood of militarized interstate conflict. Findings suggest allies that share memberships in REI water treaties with provisions for territorial boundary issues are more likely to fight than are other states. This relationship is weak, however, lending support to realist claims.     

纵向岭谷区生态系统变化及西南跨境生态安全研究

位于我国西南、以纵向山系和大河为主体特征的纵向岭谷区,其地表主要自然物质、能量输送和人类活动等,表现出明显的“通道—阻隔”作用,产生了复杂多样的关联效应：使其成为亚洲大陆主要的纵向生物走廊、避难所和我国与东南亚重要的生态廊道,拥有北半球除沙漠和海洋外的各类生态系统,是全球生物物种的高富集区和世界级基因库,但其生态脆弱、灾害频发;主导了区内多民族沿河谷分布、在山间盆地聚居的“大分散、小聚居”格局,其社会经济发展地域分异大。因此,该区一直是地学和生物学等研究地表复杂环境系统与生命系统演变规律的关键地区,在全球具有不可替代性;同时,该区资源富集,短期开发行为多、环境退化加剧、贫困普遍,保护与发展矛盾极为突出,在西部具有典型性和代表性。     

Water Security and the Countermeasures in South Asia Based on the “Belt and Road” Initiative

South Asia is the subregion of Asia with the most neighbors of China. Although the high mountains in the Great Himalayas spatially separate South Asia from East Asia along the border of China’s autonomous region of Tibet, the geographical items such as mountains and rivers link the countries in South Asia with China, resulting in a special and complex geopolitical environment and relationship. In this geopolitical relationship, the transboundary rivers are becoming a key issue of this region in an era of increasing water stress. Depleted and degraded transboundary water supplies have the potential to cause social unrest and spark conflict within and between countries in South Asia, and complicate the geopolitical relationship among them. In addition, the increasing impacts from climate change and human activities will definitely bring many transboundary eco-environmental issues in this region, projecting a big challenge to regional stability and development. The key issues related to the water resources supplement and exploration require the transboundary rivers to be a positive role in regional water resources utility and exploration, and the result will definitely affect regional relationship and water security. How to handle these issues and challenges will be a question for the countries in this region with a long time. Currently, the “Belt and Road” Initiative represents an opportunity to build a shared vision for common prosperity through regional cooperation and is a way to inject new positive energy into world peace and development. In the light of this, the countries with transboundary rivers in South Asia must come together to construct a cooperative mechanism of water security, and adopt a win-win cooperation for the use of transboundary rivers under the principles of “equal”, “equitable” and “reasonable”.     

中亚各国在咸海流域水资源问题上的冲突与合作

咸海流域是中亚社会发展进程中水资源供需矛盾和生态环境问题表现最为突出的区域,已严重妨碍了经济发展和社会稳定,甚至严重影响到中亚国家间的关系. 在解决咸海问题上,中亚各国虽然都表现出了极度忧虑和希望合作解决共同问题的诚意,签订了一系列的多边和双边合作协议,付诸了较多的行动;发达国家和国际组织也多方介入,大力援助、积极斡旋,但仍未从根本上缓解咸海危机. 深入分析介绍了咸海流域的水资源及开发利用情况、中亚各国在咸海流域水资源问题上的冲突以及开展的一系列合作,探讨了咸海危机的潜在水冲突,提出了合理利用水资源,实现流域一体化管理,化解咸海危机的对策措施.     

气候变化和人类活动对中亚地区水文环境的影响评估

中亚地区是我国天气的上游区,生态环境异常脆弱,必须要保证该地区生态环境和资源安全,水资源安全首当其冲.研究和评估气候变化和人类活动对中亚地区水文环境的影响,具有重要的战略意义.近百年来中亚地区气候有暖湿化趋势,气温增温持续时间较长且增温幅度较大,近50a增暖更加明显(0.47℃·(10a)^-1),其中冬季增温最快,预估未来会延续变暖的态势;同时20世纪80年代之后降水量持续波动上升.气候变化对该地区水资源的时空分布及湖泊变迁造成了重大影响,人类活动加剧了水资源短缺,近50a来锡尔河和阿姆河入咸海径流量均呈减少的趋势,20世纪70年代之后拦水蓄水水库等水利工程的建设,加上灌溉用水的增加,导致两河入咸海水量骤减;而1987年之后两河入咸海水量回升,主要是气温回暖、降水增多,加速了常年积雪和冰川融化,使得进入河道的径流量增加.同时,湖泊水位下降,面积收缩,水质恶化.中亚水资源问题主要是跨国水资源分配和水环境恶化问题,要做好水资源评估和用水规划工作,建立覆盖全区域的水资源环境监测网络.中亚国家需要共同参与制定一套完整的、综合考虑人口、社会经济、生态环境等因素的水资源管理政治立法决策体系,构建中亚各国人水和谐、互利共存的水资源新秩序,以水资源可持续利用来支持经济与社会的可持续发展.     

Water reservoirs, irrigation and sedimentation in Central Asia: a first-cut assessment for Uzbekistan

Water reservoirs play an important role in areas with limited and erratic precipitation where water is stored and re-distributed later for different purposes. Irrigation is primarily a major water consumer in arid countries of Central Asia for the economic development, employment and food security of the region. The major rivers of Central Asia (e.g., Amu Darya, Syr Darya, and Zerafshan) are turbid watercourses. Sedimentation reduces the main reservoir asset i.e., its volume capacity. In addition, vast territories of the region’s countries have been transformed for agriculture to grow water intensive crops such as cotton, rice and wheat during the Soviet Union that dramatically accelerated soil erosion by water and wind. Thus, many man-made water reservoirs are affected by high sedimentation rates. Moreover, uneven spatial and temporal water resources and a Soviet-inherited unified hydraulic infrastructure have raised transboundary reservoir management issues over water resources allocation among the countries in the region such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The rivers such as Syr Darya and Amu Darya are already regulated by more than 78 and 94 %, respectively and attempts for new reservoir projects upstream raises increased concerns of the downstream countries (e.g., the Rogun hydropower station in Tajikistan and the Toktogul reservoir in Kyrgyzstan). For instance, the uncoordinated use of reservoirs has caused the Arnasai lake problem in Uzbekistan with environmental, material damage and social unrest. The aim of this paper is first to review the present conditions and the role of man-made water reservoirs for irrigation in Central Asia with special focus on Uzbekistan, second to document past and current reservoir sedimentation conditions in Uzbekistan and third to discuss research carried out by Soviet and present-time local research community in the domain of erosion and sedimentation in the region.     

跨边界含水层问题研究

跨边界含水层作为地下水资源系统的一部分，涉及国家或地区之间的利益关系。文章分析了跨边界含水层问题，针对亚洲东部、中部和南部地下水系统，圈定了具有重要意义的跨国界含水层9处。对这些含水层，特别是我国边界上的黑龙江一阿穆尔河平原和伊犁河谷含水层进行了评价；对我国跨省界含水层进行了初步分析。研究跨边界含水层问题，对管理国家或地区之间共有的珍贵地下水资源，建设持久和平、共同繁荣的和谐社会具有重要的意义。     

Transboundary aquifer mapping and management in Africa: a harmonised approach

Recent attention to transboundary aquifers (TBAs) in Africa reflects the growing importance of these resources for development in the continent. However, relatively little research on these aquifers and their best management strategies has been published. This report recapitulates progress on mapping and management frameworks for TBAs in Africa. The world map on transboundary aquifers presented at the 6th World Water Forum in 2012 identified 71 TBA systems in Africa. This report presents an updated African TBA map including 80 shared aquifers and aquifer systems superimposed on 63 international river basins. Furthermore, it proposes a new nomenclature for the mapping based on three sub-regions, reflecting the leading regional development communities. The map shows that TBAs represent approximately 42 % of the continental area and 30 % of the population. Finally, a brief review of current international law, specific bi- or multilateral treaties, and TBA management practice in Africa reveals little documented international conflicts over TBAs. The existing or upcoming international river and lake basin organisations offer a harmonised institutional base for TBA management while alternative or supportive models involving the regional development communities are also required. The proposed map and geographical classification scheme for TBAs facilitates identification of options for joint institutional setups.     

Functions and organizational structure of the proposed Natural Resources Management Facility in Mozambique

The proposed Natural Resources Management Facility (NRMF) seeks to achieve poverty reduction and employment generation through ecologically sustainable, economically viable and people-participatory management of natural resources (resources of waters and soils, coastal and marine resources, ecotourism, energy resources, mineral and other resources). The NRMF will have five functional divisions for technology policy, environmental education, extramural cooperation, technical facility and information network, and international cooperation. At the heart of the NRMF is a state-of-the-art analytical laboratory (with ICP-AES, GC-ECD, GC-MS, etc.) in Maputo. This will be networked with five field stations which will have portable instruments for water, soil, food, etc. analysis. The NRMF will custom-design integrated natural resource management models for different areas of the country, in the context of their particular biophysical and socio-economic environments. Innovative management techniques have been developed to make the NRMF sustainable and largely self-financing. The NRMF will cooperate with, and assist the member countries of SADC (Southern Africa Development Community) in environmental management for mutual benefit, and could, hopefully, serve as a pilot model for the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Received: 30 September 1997 · Accepted: 3 February 1998     

A critical overview of transboundary aquifers shared by South Africa

Transboundary groundwater commonly implies a body of groundwater intersected by a political border with the attendant potential threat of dispute over a shared resource. This definition is inadequate in many parts of southern Africa. Approximately 96% of South Africa’s borders are underlain by low-yielding aquifers and, coupled with a low demand for water attendant on low population density, the risk of over-pumping or pollution leading to dispute is low, and a modified understanding is required. Examples of transboundary aquifers are used to illustrate implications for policy and management of southern African transboundary groundwater resources, where transmissivities are low and, less commonly, where over-pumping may indeed be a problem. The general lack of technical cooperation, data sharing, training and research between the riparian states on hydrogeology hampers a mutual understanding of the resources. The concept of transboundary groundwater must necessarily include aquifers where little cross-border flow occurs, but where cross-border cooperation will help to ensure sustainable cooperative utilisation of shared aquifer resources. This is imperative if future disputes are to be averted. Agreement between scientists is a necessary precursor to broader transnational governance agreements in regard to shared water resources, and recent initiatives by the Orange-Senqu River Commission promise closer integration.     

全球变化下跨境水资源理论与方法研究展望

全球变化影响下,水危机位列未来10年世界风险之首,以国际河流区的跨境水纠纷及其导致的地缘战略竞争最受关注。科学调控跨境水安全,保障国家水权益,面临诸多科学与技术难题。回顾了国际河流水安全与水权益保障的研究进展,判识了存在的问题及面临的挑战。围绕创建全球变化下跨境水资源利益共享理论与方法体系研究目标,提出了需要解决的关键科学问题、技术瓶颈和创新思路;设置了主要研究目标与内容、总体方案与技术路线。这些研究,将推进国际河流水科学研究发展,提升全球变化下中国管控跨境水安全风险、保障国家水权益的科技支撑能力。     

Groundwater resources use and management in the Amu Darya River Basin (Central Asia)

This paper analyses groundwater resources use and management in the socio-economic context of the Amu Darya River Basin which covers a part of the following landlocked Central Asian countries: Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. These agrarian nations for sustaining their vital agricultural productions started to use groundwater during the recent drought years (1998–2001) because of its relatively good quality and quantity and as an alternative to highly mineralized surface waters. Present extent of groundwater resources use is discussed with consideration to their reserves, quality, and institutional management and transboundary aspects within the basin. After the collapse of the centralized water resources management system and infrastructure of the former Soviet Union, new underdeveloped systems are being practiced over the whole Amu Darya River Basin. The critical situation of groundwater management in Afghanistan is also discussed. This work attempts to document the management and use of groundwater in the Amu Darya Basin and present time management realities, with fragmented and weak national and regional regulation on groundwater. Special attention is given to groundwater resources in irrigated agriculture, which increased use in all countries of the basin is due to quick access to underground resources and relatively good quality and quantity.     

Observation of isotopes in the water cycle—the Swiss National Network (NISOT)

The Swiss National Network for the Observation of Isotopes in the Water Cycle (NISOT) includes eleven precipitation, seven surface water (river) and three groundwater stations, where tritium, deuterium and oxygen-18 are monthly measured in composite samples. The network provides a good overview of the characteristic isotope signatures in recharge waters in Switzerland and of the relations between isotopes and altitude, orography and the amount of precipitation. Mixing of air water vapour and surface waters can be observed along a NW/SE cross section through the Alps. With increasing length of the data series, the network provides a valuable contribution for national and international scientific and practical applications in surface and subsurface hydrology, climatology and biology. The Swiss Geological Survey at the Federal Office for Water and Geology operates the isotope network within the legal framework of the Federal Law on the Protection of Waters and guarantees quality, access and distribution of the isotope data.     

跨边界含水层研究

跨边界含水层作为地下水资源系统的一部分,与国际河流同样涉及国家或地区之间的利益关系。文中分析和总结了近年来对跨边界含水层研究的进展;对亚洲东部、中部和南部地下水系统进行了分析,圈定了具有重要意义的跨国界含水层9处,对这些含水层,特别是中国边界上的黑龙江—阿穆尔河平原和伊犁河谷含水层进行了评价;对中国跨省界含水层进行了初步分析。跨边界含水层问题的提出和研究,对管理国家或地区之间共有的珍贵地下水资源,建设持久和平、共同繁荣的和谐社会具有重要的意义。     

新疆及中亚地区斜坡灾害研究现状与展望

新疆和中亚五国山河相连,都是"一带一路"建设的重要支点,但也是滑坡、泥石流等斜坡灾害的高发区,且两地的地质灾害发育有着明显的共性.本文对新疆和中亚地区的斜坡灾害研究现状进行综述,分析了两地斜坡灾害形成机理、发育规律,即中高山地分布集中,受降雨和冰雪融水影响很大,黄土滑坡发育.新疆的斜坡灾害研究多围绕公路、水利等工程设施...