Free Flow

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Greater cooperation through water diplomacy

and transboundary water management

Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Patrick MacQuarrie, Alejandro Iza and Mark Smith,

International Union for Conservation of Nature

ith over 275 transboundary basins on the planet,

cooperation over water management is essential

for the preservation of freshwater biodiversity and

healthy ecosystems. Approximately 40 per cent of the world’s

population lives in river and lake basins that comprise two or

more countries and, perhaps more significantly, over 90 per

cent lives in countries that share basins. The complexities of

sharing water between and among nations require innovation in

approaches to water governance, with water diplomacy at multi-

ple levels. In this regard water is unique. It connects fishermen

to Prime Ministers, farmers to politicians, through a simple yet

challenging common objective – to cooperatively manage our

shared freshwater ecosystems and maintain the rich biodiversity

that supports useful and productive livelihoods.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

contributes to the conservation of water biodiversity by promot-

ing, influencing and catalysing sustainable use and

equitable sharing of resources, as well as protecting

ecosystems. Promoting cooperation among countries

in the management of transboundary waters is a key

building block in protecting biodiversity while main-

taining international security and regional stability.

At the same time, water management is a local activ-

ity because clean, safe and dependable water supply

is intrinsic to the health, food security and economic

opportunities needed for households and communi-

ties to benefit from development. Failing to manage

water sustainably results in losses of biodiversity, with

direct negative impacts on poverty, disease, conflict

and development.

Biodiversity is crucial to the reduction of poverty.

More than 1.3 billion people depend on biodiversity

and on basic ecosystem goods and services for their

ater

iplomacy

In the Lake Titicaca basin, BRIDGE focused on fostering dialogue and cooperation through agreements on knowledge and information