Title: Towards a global freshwater convention: challenges ahead

Authors: Harpreet Singh Kandra, Amit Kapur

Addresses: Center for Environmental Studies, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110 003, India. ' Consultant, Five Winds International, 137 Newbury St., 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02116, USA

Abstract: The imminent freshwater crisis affects all forms of development. Freshwater concerns are multi-scale, diverse and complex in nature, and management options may either call for action by local stakeholders or require transboundary/regional agreements. Unlike other global environmental issues, the international community is yet to formulate a global water convention. The progress over two decades from Marl del Plata to Rio to Hague to Bonn has been significant. Institutionalisation of global water think tanks and networks has paved the way to structure a World Water Vision and a Framework for Action. Yet, immense barriers persist for an international protocol on water.

Keywords: freshwater crisis; scarcity; international convention; World Water Council; water vision; water forum; water conference; international protocols.

DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2007.015220

International Journal of Water, 2007 Vol.3 No.3, pp.275 - 298

Published online: 27 Sep 2007 *

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