Water Resources Management in Central Asia and its Role in the Emergence of Conflicts Affecting Regional Stability

• Author: Mar Campins Eritja
• Position: Full Professor (Catedrática) of International Public Law, Universitat de Barcelona.
• Pages: 13-46

PAIX ET SÉCURITÉ INTERNATIONALES

Journal of International Law and International Relations

Num 7, janvier-décembre 2019 | ISSN 2341-0868

DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.25267/Paix_secur_int.2019.i7.01

Paix et Securité Internationales

ISSN 2341-0868, Num. 7, janvier-décembre 2019, pp. 13-46

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.25267/Paix_secur_int.2019.i7.01

TRANSBOUNDARY WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

IN CENTRAL ASIA AND ITS ROLE IN THE EMERGENCE OF

CONFLICTS AFFECTING REGIONAL STABILITY1

Mar CAMPINS ERITJA2

I. -INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. II. -THE MANAGEMENT OF WATER RE-

SOURCES: A PRIORITY FOR CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES. III. -AN UN-

SATISFACTORY REGULATION AND A WEAKENED INSTITUTIONAL

FRAMEWORK CHALLENGING THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF

SHARED WATER RESOURCES. IV. -FINAL REMARKS

ABSTRACT: This paper draws from the situation of imbalance in the use of water resources

among the Central Asian States, in a context marked by a deepdichotomy between two competing

uses of water -irrigation and the production of hydroelectric energy. From the perspective of water

resources management, the hydrographic and geopolitical complexity of the region is unquestiona-

ble and has been found in the cause of several interstate conf‌l icts, which are frequently aggravated

by important environmental challenges.

From there, this paper discusses the adequacy of the international regulatory framework to

guarantee the sustainable governance of water resources in the region. The impact of multilateral

conventions in the region is analysed, as well as the development of a series of bilateral agreements

that have actually maintained the status quo. This situation has worsened due to the low consistency

and e ectiveness of the regional institutions created by these same agreements. From a regional

perspective, the situation in the countries of Central Asia o ers an exceptional case for analysis. It

is an area with signif‌i cant security risks due to the widespread lack of governance over the use of

water resources, which are unevenly distributed between the Central Asian States, and have under-

gone alarming environmental degradation in recent years. Although this situation could represent a

major opportunity for the development of interstate cooperation, the upshot will depend to a large

extent on the capacity of political institutions in the region to manage these resources in a way that

is both environmentally and politically sustainable.

KEY WORDS: Central Asia, international waters, international security, energy

1 A previous version of this paper was published in Spanish, in , A. (Dir.), Agua,

recurso natural limitado. Entre el desarrollo sostenible y la seguridad internacional, Marcial Pons, Bar-

celona, 2017, pp. 199-227. The updated English version has been carried out within the fra-

mework of the BIODINT project (DER2017-85406-P) and within the activities of the Jean

Monnet Chair on EU Environmental Law (587220-EPP-1-2017-1-EN-EPPJMO-CHAIR).

2 Full Professor (Catedrática) of International Public Law, Universitat de Barcelona.

Citation: CAMPINS ERITJA, M., «Transboundary Water Resources Management in Central Asia and its Role

in the Emergence of Conf‌l icts A ffecting Regional Stability», Paix et Sécurité Internationales, num. 7, 2019, pp. 13-46

Received: 17 July 2018

Accepted: 15 October 2018

Transboundary water resources in Central Asia and its impact in the emergency of conf‌l icts affecting regional stability

Paix et Securité Internationales

ISSN 2341-0868, Num. 7, janvier-décembre 2019, pp. 13-46

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.25267/Paix_secur_int.2019.i7.01

LA GESTIÓN DE LOS RECURSOS HÍDRICOS EN ASIA CENTRAL Y SU INCIDENCIA

EN LA EMERGENCIA DE CONFLICTOS SUSCEPTIBLES DE AFECTAR LA ESTABI-

LIDAD REGIONAL

RESUMEN: Este trabajo parte de la situación de desequilibrio en el uso de los recursos hídricos

entre los Estados de Asia Central, en un contexto marcado por una profunda dicotomía entre dos

usos competitivos del agua: el riego y la producción de energía hidroeléctrica. Desde la perspectiva

de la gestión de los recursos hídricos, la complejidad hidrográf‌i ca y geopolítica de la región es

incuestionable y constituye de hecho, la causa de varios conf‌l ictos interestatales que, con frecuen-

cia, se ven agravados por importantes desafíos ambientales. A partir de ahí, el trabajo analiza la

idoneidad del marco jurídico internacional para garantizar la gobernanza sostenible de los recursos

hídricos en la región. Se analiza el impacto de los convenios multilaterales en la región, así como el

desarrollo de una serie de acuerdos bilaterales que, en esencia, se han limitado a mantener el status

quo. Esta situación se agudiza debido a la poca consolidación y efectividad de las instituciones

regionales creadas por estos mismos acuerdos. Desde una perspectiva regional, la situación en los

países de Asia Central ofrece un caso excepcional para el análisis. Es un área con importantes ries-

gos securitarios debido a la debilidad generalizada de los mecanismos de gobernanza sobre el uso

de los recursos hídricos, distribuidos de manera desigual entre los Estados de Asia Central y sujetos

a un proceso de degradación ambiental alarmante en los últimos años. Si bien esta situación podría

presentar una gran oportunidad para el desarrollo de la cooperación interestatal, el resultado depen-

derá en gran medida de la capacidad de las instituciones políticas de la región para administrar estos

recursos de una manera ambiental y políticamente sostenible.

PALABRAS CLAVE: Asia central, aguas internacionales, seguridad internacional, energía.

LA GESTION DES RESSOURCES EN EAU EN ASIE CENTRALE ET SON IMPACT SUR

L’ÉMERGENCE DE CONFLITS SUSCEPTIBLES D’AFFECTER LA STABILITÉ RÉ-

GIONALE

RESUMÉ : Cette recherche part de la situation de déséquilibre dans l’utilisation des ressources en

eau entre les États d’Asie centrale, dans un contexte caractérisé par une profonde dichotomie entre

deux usages de l’eau en concurrence dans la région, l’irrigation et la production d’énergie hydroé-

lectrique. Du point de vue de la gestion des ressources en eau, la complexité hydrographique et

géopolitique de la région est indiscutable, et s’est révélée être à l’origine de plusieurs conf‌lits entre

États, souvent aggravés par d’importants déf‌i s environnementaux. À partir de là, ce travail examine

l’adéquation du cadre juridique international pour garantir la gouvernance durable des ressources

en eau dans la région. Il analyse l’impact des accords multilatéraux dans la région, ainsi que l’éla-

boration d’une série d’accords bilatéraux qui ont en réalité maintenu le statu quo. Cette situation

s’est aggravée en raison de la faible cohérence et e cacité des institutions régionales créées par ces

mêmes accords. D’un point de vue régional, la situation dans les pays d’Asie centrale o re un cas

d’analyse exceptionnel. C’est un domaine qui présente des risques importants pour la sécurité en

raison de la faiblesse généralisée des mécanismes de gouvernance en ce qui concerne l’utilisation

des ressources en eau, inégalement réparties entre les États de la région et qui ont subi une dégrada-

tion environnementale alarmante ces dernières années. Même si cette situation pourrait représenter

une opportunité majeure pour le développement de la coopération entre États, le résultat dépendra

dans une large mesure de la capacité des institutions politiques à gérer ces ressources de manière

durable tant sur le plan environnemental que politique.

MOTS CLES: Asie centrale, eaux internationales, sécurité internationale, énergie

Paix et Securité Internationales

ISSN 2341-0868, Num. 7, janvier-décembre 2019, pp. 13-46

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.25267/Paix_secur_int.2019.i7.01

I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

The management of transboundary river basins is an area that has tradi-

tionally underlined the link between situations of environmental stress and

the emergence of new threats to international peace and security.3 This re-

lationship, already noted in the Bruntland Commission’s 1987 report4and

brought under the broader scope of human security a few years later by the

United Nations Development Programme,5 is illustrated by the Central Asian

countries commonly known as the “f‌i ve Stans”: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan,

Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

From a regional perspective, the situation in the countries of Central Asia

offers an exceptional case for analysis. It is an area with signif‌i cant security

risks6 due to (among other factors) the widespread lack of governance over

the use of a series of natural resources, which are unevenly distributed be-

tween the States in question, and have undergone alarming environmental

degradation in recent years. At the same time, this situation could represent

a major opportunity for the development of interstate cooperation. The ups-

hot will depend to a large extent on the capacity of political institutions to

3 See , Th., “On the Threshold: Environmental Changes as Causes of Conf‌l ict”, In-

ternational Security, Vol. 16, nº 2, 1991, pp. 76-116; , K., Environment

and Conf‌l ict Project: International project on Violence and Conf‌l icts Caused by Environmental Degradation

and Peaceful Conf‌l ict Resolution, Center for Security Studies, 1995, pp. 1-185; , S. “Scarcity

and Cooperation Along International Rivers”, Global Environmental Politics, Vol. 9, nº 1, 2009,

pp. 109-135. See, also, , F., “El agua como factor de hostilidad y de cooperación

en el ámbito internacional” and Scovazzi, T., “L’acqua come causa di controversei internazi-

onale”, in Gutiérrez Espada, C.- Riquelme Cortado, R. - Orihuela Calatayud, E.- Sánchez

Jiménez, M.A.- Cervell Hortal, M.J.- Rubio Fernández, E.M., (Coord.), El Agua como factor de

cooperación y de conf‌l icto en las relaciones internacionales contemporáneas, Instituto Euromediterráneo

del Agua, Murcia, 2009, pp. 139-170 and 305-316.

4, Our Common Future, Report of the World Commission on En-

vironmental and Development, 1987, Doc. A/42/427.

5 PNUD, Informe sobre el desarrollo humano, PNUD-Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1994, p. 25

et seq.

6“International waters: Identifying basins at risk”, Water

Policy, Vol. 5, 2003, pp. 29-60, p. 42 available online at .environmental-expert.

com/Files%5C5302%5Carticles%5C5877%5C2.pdf>; ,

A., (Ed.), Building a Regional Framework in Central Asia: Between Cooperation and Conf‌l ict, ICIP

Research 02, Institut Català Internacional per la Pau, 2014.