Regulations & policies | Mitigating conflict
The planning, development, and management of dams in transboundary basins needs to be governed in an effective and cooperative manner to ensure limited negative environmental and socioeconomic impacts, and the mitigation of any potential conflict. Studies across the Mekong, Zambezi, and Senegal river basins have assessed the role of institutionalised cooperation in transboundary basins, when mitigating potential conflict over hydropower dams
References
Schmeier S (2024) The role of institutionalised cooperation in transboundary basins in mitigating conflict potential over hydropower dams. Front. Clim. 5:1283612. doi: 10.3389/fclim.2023.1283612
Below: Map of dams in the Mekong River Basin Copyright: Transboundary Freshwater Diplomacy Database, 2023
THE CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS within transboundary basins can lead to disagreements and conflicts between riparian states, compromising not only environmental and social sustainability but regional stability and peace, according to new research by Susanne Schmeier from IHE Delft Institute in The Netherlands. Legal and governance mechanisms have been
developed to address such conflict potential around projects and range from international water law principles, to dam-specific provisions in basin treaties, as well as basin management plans and environmental impact assessment approaches. To assess whether, how, and to what extent such
institutionalised governance mechanisms can prevent or mitigate conflict, in her research published in Frontiers in Climate, Schmeier presents an in-depth analysis of the Mekong, Zambezi, and Senegal river basins.
Mekong River Basin The riparian countries of Lower Mekong Basin have
cooperated for decades in an effort to develop and jointly manage the basin’s resources, leading to the establishment of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) in 1995.
As Schmeier states, “there is probably no basin China
Legend Existing Dams
Proposed Dams Populated Cities Mekong Basin Rivers Mekong Basin
organisation that has conducted as much work on dams as the MRC”, adding that it has developed an unprecedented amount and variety of policies, guidelines and tools. Most significantly, it has adapted to the needs of the basin and developed more targeted and specific mechanisms. Challenges do however remain, Schmeier cautions, and they illustrate some of the broader challenges with dam development in transboundary basins: “even when a comprehensive set for addressing impacts and related conflict potential exists”. She goes on to explain that while the conflicts
Myanmar (Burma)
around Mekong dams have been mitigated, riparian people and countries remain vulnerable to dam- induced changes as the environmental and social impacts of the dams have not been addressed sufficiently. And with impacts distributed unevenly across riparian populations and countries, affecting marginalised communities disproportionally, Schmeier warns that this “bears a risk of future conflict”.
Zambezi River Basin The Zambezi River has a basin shared by eight
Gulf of Tonkin
countries – Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Zambia and Zimbabwe started cooperation in the 1940s, ultimately progressing towards establishment of the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) in 1987 and the development of various projects between the two countries.
Andaman Sea Thailand Gulf of Tyler Thiebes
Cylindrical Equal Area (world) September 12, 2023
In 2004, building upon earlier cooperation efforts among most of the basin’s riparian countries, the Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) was set up with a focus on the integrated and environmentally sustainable management of the entire basin. Although still a young basin organisation, Schmeier says that ZAMCOM has already made significant contributions to managing the basin in an integrated manner but adds that the Zambezi River Basin “is facing a litmus test in the next years”.
30 | November 2024 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
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