Managing and Transforming Water Conflicts

Description

What is the one thing that no one can do without? Water. Where water crosses boundaries - be they economic, legal, political or cultural - the stage is set for disputes between different users trying to safeguard access to a vital resource, while protecting the natural environment. Without strategies to anticipate, address, and mediate between competing users, intractable water conflicts are likely to become more frequent, more intense, and more disruptive around the world. In this book, Delli Priscoli and Wolf investigate the dynamics of water conflict and conflict resolution, from the local to the international. They explore the inexorable links between three facets of conflict management and transformation: Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), public participation, and institutional capacity. This practical guide will be invaluable to water management professionals, as well as to researchers and students in engineering, economics, geography, geology, and political science who are involved in any aspects of water management.

Jerome Delli Priscoli is a Senior Advisor at the United States Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources. For 30 years he has designed and run social assessment, public participation and conflict resolution research and training programs. Dr Delli Priscoli has been advisor to the World Bank and the UN water related agencies on water policy issues, and he works closely with international government water ministers. He is author of many articles and books and is the Editor in Chief of the peer-reviewed journal Water Policy. He was an original member of the U.S. delegation to the multi-lateral Middle East peace talks on water, and he has played pivotal roles in each of the five world water forums and most of the critical water resources policy meetings over the last 15 years. He serves on the Bureau and Board of Governors of the World Water Council. The American Water Resources Association awarded him the Icko Iben award for achievement in cross-disciplinary communications in water in 2005. Aaron T. Wolf is a Professor of Geography in the Geosciences Department at Oregon State University. His research and teaching focus is on the interaction between water science and water policy, particularly as related to conflict prevention and resolution. He has acted as a consultant to the World Bank and several international government agencies on various aspects of transboundary water resources and dispute resolution. Wolf is a trained mediator/facilitator, and directs the Program in Water Conflict Management and Transformation, through which he has offered workshops, facilitations, and mediation in basins throughout the world. He coordinates the Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database, and is a co-director of the Universities Partnership on Transboundary Waters. He has been an author/editor for seven books, as well as almost 50 journal articles, book chapters, and professional reports on various aspects of transboundary waters.

Review of the hardback: 'I know of no two persons in the world of water who could better combine their efforts to describe a comprehensive picture of water use and avoiding the associated potential conflicts. This is a work that shows the results of combined decades of experience and caring about water.' William Cosgrove, President, Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement (Quebec) and co-author of the World Water Vision Review of the hardback: 'Delli Pricoli and Wolf carefully analyse hydromyths such as 'water wars' and show why co-operation rather then conflict over water is more common around the world. The publication of this book is most timely as water resources are increasingly recognized as a limited but renewable resource that need to be managed wisely. Co-operation amongst riparian states on water is a building block of economic development and a key element of working toward a more sustainable resource use.' Ger J. Bergkamp, Head - Water Programme, IUCN The World Conservation Union Review of the hardback: 'The future of our planet lies in the mastering of water resources. Each man, each woman, each child must be able to live, work and die where he or she was born. This is a key component of a planetary strategy, made up of fairer development and peaceful coexistence. This is a simple but essential message that Aaron Wolf and Jerome Delli Priscoli deliver in their new brilliant and well-illustrated book.' Loic Fauchon, President Directeur General, Societe des Eaux de Marseille (Chairman and Managing Director, Marseilles Water Company); President, Conseil mondial de l'eau (President, World Water Council) Review of the hardback: 'There has been too little attention paid to water conflicts. Much less so on solutions. This book is a great resource for everyone from policymakers to students to understand the issues and help make positive change happen in our global water world.' Karin M. Krchnak, Senior Advisor, International Water Policy, The Nature Conservancy Review of the hardback: 'This book, authored by two authorities in the field, offer a realistic vision on how water, with its economic, social, environmental and cultural impacts, is capable of transforming us all, and how, by its very nature is capable of extinguishing fires and not igniting them. They prove, through live examples, how water can be a venue for dialogue and cooperation. The book is a very valuable addition to the water literature from extremely qualified and experienced authors.' Munther J. Haddadin, Former Minister of Water and Irrigation, Jordan's Water Negotiator in the Middle East Peace Process Review of the hardback: 'South Africa is a country with a history of conflict resolution, epitomized by the negotiated ending of Apartheid. As such we recognize the valuable role played by negotiations in ending protracted conflicts. We also have a deep collective experience in which agreements over the management of transboundary waters were negotiated during times of political turmoil. Significantly the joint management of those resources withstood the rigours of that larger and more protracted conflict. For this reason we recognize the value of the ideas, processes and concepts offered in this book and have no hesitation in endorsing it.' Ms Khungeka Njobe, CSIR Group Executive, former Executive of the CSIR Natural Resources and Environment Unit, member of the Board of Governors of the World Water Council Review of the hardback: 'Uncertainties generated by global changes in general and climate variability and change in particular will attract the attention of professionals and politicians of the water sector to the issue of transboundary water resources management. This book is a superb contribution to a better understanding of the complex task of managing transboundary water resources. It gives a clear and balanced view of water disputes in different parts of the world in an excellent historical context. The book is written in a language that is amenable to different audiences, from graduate students to senior policy makers. I sincerely recommend its reading.' Ben Braga, Vice-President of the World Water Council, President of the Intergovernmental Council of the International Hydrologic Program, UNESCO Review of the hardback: '... this is a well-written and informative introduction to the management of water conflicts which includes detailed examples and case studies as well as useful overviews of theoretical concepts and arguments. Each chapter is supported with high-quality maps, tables and text-boxes. This volume is particularly useful as a teaching resource and is well-suited to undergraduate students or anyone who is new to the field of water management. In addition, established researchers and water professionals will find it a useful guide to the theory and practice of water conflict prevention and resolution.' The Geographical Journal