Gabriel Eckstein - Draft Articles On the Law of Transboundary Aquifers

1. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org
Professor Gabriel Eckstein
Texas A&M University School of Law
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Director, International Water Law Project
gabrieleckstein@law.tamu.edu
GEF IW-LEARN and UNESCO-IHP Webinar
Groundwater and International Law: Current Status and Recent Developments
11 December 2013

2. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org
 Accessible
groundwater = 100
times more than all surface
waters
 Most extracted natural
resources in the world (appx.
950–1,000 km3/yr)
 Nearly
½ of humanity depend
on groundwater for
drinking, cooking and hygiene
 40% of water used by industry
 40% of water used in irrigated
agriculture

3. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org
Transboundary rivers
and lakes
•
•
273 transboundary
watercourses
3,600+ treaties since 800 AD
Transboundary aquifers
•
•
•
•
448 transboundary aquifers
and aquifer bodies
1 management and 2 data
sharing agreements in force
1 regional convention
Handful of other related
instruments

4. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org

International Law Association





1966 Helsinki Rules on the Uses of the Waters of
International Rivers
1986 Seoul Rules on International Groundwaters
1992 UNECE Watercourses/Lakes
Convention
1997 UN Watercourses Convention
1994 UNILC Resolution on Confined
Transboundary Groundwater

5. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org
UN International Law
Commission





Tasked with the “codification and
progressive development of
international law” of transboundary
aquifers
Appointed Ambassador Chusei
Yamada of Japan as Special
Rapporteur
Supported by UNESCO and experts group
(lawyers, hydrogeologists, hydrologists, agriculturalists, polic
y specialists)
Produced 5 reports and addenda
Produced draft articles on the law of transboundary aquifers

6. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org


19 draft articles
Preamble + four sections
I. Introduction
II. General principles
III. Protection, preservation and management
IV. Miscellaneous provisions

7. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org

Scope (Art. 1)
(a) Utilization of transboundary aquifers or aquifer systems;
(b) Other activities that have or are likely to have an impact
upon such aquifers or aquifer systems; and
(c) Measures for the protection, preservation and
management of such aquifers or aquifer systems.

Definitions (Art. 2)
(a) “aquifer” means a permeable water bearing geological
formation underlain by a less permeable layer and the
water contained in the saturated zone of the formation;
(d) “utilization of transboundary aquifers or aquifer
systems” includes extraction of water, heat and
minerals, and storage and disposal of any substance;

8. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org

Sovereignty (Art. 3)
Each aquifer State has sovereignty over the portion of
a transboundary aquifer or aquifer system located
within its territory. It shall exercise its sovereignty in
accordance with international law and the present
articles.

9. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org
Chief Substantive Principles
 Equitable & reasonable utilization (Arts. 4 & 5)
 No significant harm (Art. 6)
 Cooperation (Art. 7)
 Protection/preservation of ecosystems (Art. 10)
 Protection of recharge & discharge zones (Art. 11)
 Prevention, reduction & control of pollution (Art.
12)

10. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org
Chief Procedural Principles
 Exchange of data & information (Art. 8)
 Monitoring (Art. 13)
 Notification of planned activities (Art. 15)

11. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org
UN General Assembly and Member States

Assess substance of the proposed draft articles

Consider the type of instrument





Independent convention
Protocol to the 1997 UN Watercourses Convention
Declaration of principles
Guidelines
Status quo (draft articles annexed to a UN Resolution)

12. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org

2008 UNGA Resolution A/RES/63/124
“commends [the draft articles] to the attention
of Governments without prejudice to the
question of their future adoption or other
appropriate action”
“Encourages the States concerned to make
appropriate bilateral or regional
arrangements for the proper management of
their transboundary aquifers, taking into
account the provisions of these draft
articles”

2011 UNGA Resolution A/RES/66/104
“Further encourages the States concerned to
make appropriate bilateral or regional
arrangements for the proper management of
their transboundary aquifers, taking into
account the provisions of the draft articles”

13. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org


2013 UN Resolution A/C.6/68/L.25
(DRAFT)
“Commends to the attention of
Governments the draft articles
on the law of transboundary
aquifers annexed to the present
resolution as guidance for
bilateral or regional agreements
and arrangements for the proper
management of transboundary
aquifers”
2015 = ?

14. www.InternationalWaterLaw.org
Professor Gabriel Eckstein
Texas A&M University School of Law
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Director, International Water Law Project
gabrieleckstein@law.tamu.edu