Implementing International Watercourses Law Through the WEF NEXUS and SDGS: An Integrated Approach Illustrated in the Zambezi River Basin

Zeray Yihdego; Julie Gibson

doi:10.1163/23529369-12340019

Implementing International Watercourses Law Through the WEF NEXUS and SDGS: An Integrated Approach Illustrated in the Zambezi River Basin

Zeray Yihdego, Julie Gibson^* (Corresponding Author)

^*Corresponding author for this work

Law

University of Strathclyde

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Abstract

International Watercourses Law (IWL) provides only a broad framework for States to follow and is ill-equipped to systematically consider the trade-offs of water use across multiple sectors such as energy and food. This gap could potentially be filled by turning to policy frameworks such as the Water-Energy-Food Nexus (WEF) and global development agendas, such as the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) which could add further substance to the vague provisions contained in IWL. This monograph will argue that utilising these three frameworks in an integrated manner, termed the Law, Nexus, Goals (LNG) approach, could aid riparian states and non-state actors in the consideration of competing water uses, thereby helping to resolve tensions and promote
cooperation among concerned states as demonstrated using the Zambezi River Basin (ZRB) as a case study.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3-90
Number of pages	88
Journal	International Water Law
Volume	5
Issue number	3
Early online date	17 Sept 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1163/23529369-12340019
Publication status	Published - 17 Sept 2020

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Stephanie Hawkins for her input to earlier drafts of this work, Jonathan Lautze and other reviewers of the Brill Perspective Series for their comments. This monograph is derived from research conducted under €5.5M four-year EU Horizon 2020 funded ‘DAFNE’ project which concerns the promotion of integrated and adaptive water resources management, explicitly addressing the WEF Nexus and aiming to promote a sustainable economy in regions where new infrastructure and expanding agriculture has to be balanced with social, economic and environmental needs. The project takes a multi- and interdisciplinary approach to the formation of a decision analytical framework (DAF) for participatory and integrated planning, to allow the evaluation of decisions based on social, economic and environmental needs, therefore reflective of sustainable development. The monograph therefore derives its perspectives from the interdisciplinarity within the project: thus, while retaining focus on legal frameworks at its core, the monograph will also look at policy frameworks and will take due note of the role to be played by other disciplines within water governance. For further information on the project see http://dafne-project.eu.

Keywords

International watercourses law
Sustainable Development Goals
water governance
water energy focus nexus
Zambezi basin

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Zeray Yihdego
- School of Law, Law - Personal Chair
- School of Law, Centre for Constitutional and Public International Law
Person: Academic

Cite this

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title = "Implementing International Watercourses Law Through the WEF NEXUS and SDGS: An Integrated Approach Illustrated in the Zambezi River Basin",

abstract = "International Watercourses Law (IWL) provides only a broad framework for States to follow and is ill-equipped to systematically consider the trade-offs of water use across multiple sectors such as energy and food. This gap could potentially be filled by turning to policy frameworks such as the Water-Energy-Food Nexus (WEF) and global development agendas, such as the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs) which could add further substance to the vague provisions contained in IWL. This monograph will argue that utilising these three frameworks in an integrated manner, termed the Law, Nexus, Goals (LNG) approach, could aid riparian states and non-state actors in the consideration of competing water uses, thereby helping to resolve tensions and promotecooperation among concerned states as demonstrated using the Zambezi River Basin (ZRB) as a case study.",

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Implementing International Watercourses Law Through the WEF NEXUS and SDGS: An Integrated Approach Illustrated in the Zambezi River Basin

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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