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This thesis investigates the mechanisms that might be used to determine the rights and obligations of Turkey, Syria and Iraq to govern the Tigris and Euphrates River Basin (TERB) in accordance with the international water law. In particular, it advocates for the protection of Iraq?s equitable rights through the establishment of a legal and institutional framework for joint use of the TERB. As a contribution towards addressing the issues of transboundary water law at the TERB level, this thesis explores the possibilities for potential cooperation between the three riparian States of the TERB through forming a legally binding treaty under the auspices of contemporary international water law. From this perspective, the thesis hypothesises that international law provides a solid basis on which the State of Iraq can rely on for achieving its legal entitlements to the equitable and reasonable use of the TERB. In this context, the thesis first examines international law in order to establish how it applies to the TERB. Next, the thesis considers how the legal positions of the riparian States can be determined under international law. When the aforesaid requirements are met, the thesis makes recommendations on how international water law can strengthen the legal framework for equitable joint use of the TERB. The thesis offers the methodology and analytical framework that deals with different relevant issues covered within the scope of the thesis. Later on, water uses within the TERB are discussed, followed by a literature review of publications on contemporary Middle East transboundary water conflict and cooperation. Afterwords, the thesis examines the applicable international law and international water law to the riparian States of the TERB. Finally, it explores the legal regime of the inter-State relationships in order to foster improved transboundary water management of the TERB.

The rights and obligations of States concerning their shared transboundary groundwates are not fully understood. The primary reasons for this are the complex characteristics and behaviours of groundwater, and the lack of full understanding of its interconnection with the surrounding environment. Consequently, States appear to be reluctant in concluding legally binding arrangements that specifically address this topic. This complexity is further intensified under difficult political situations, whereby the Parties sharing groundwater are unable to foresee the benefits of cooperation concerning this resource. This thesis represents an inquiry into the rules and principles governing the utilization of shared transboundary groundwater, and how cooperative frameworks can be initiated implemented, in the complex political context of the Mountain Aquifer shared between Israel and Palestine. The main objective of this thesis is to achieve an integrative mutually beneficial arrangement in the case of the Mountain Aquifer, based on lessons learnt from international law. The proposal for approaching the problem within the Palestinian-Israeli context is to progressively establish a solid basis for long-term sustainable arrangements. The progressive approach starts with a non-binding flexible arrangement that can serve the short-term need, which gradually builds up into a final legally binding arrangement based on international law.

Le cadre juridique régissant les ressources hydrauliques partagées dans la région de l’Est Méditerranéen dite du Levant souffre d’insuffisances manifestes et semble inadapté à la réalisation de la tâche que ses géniteurs lui ont assigné. Produit essentiellement de conventions bilatérales dont les dispositions s’avèrent parfois contradictoires, il est le fruit d’un contexte politique tendu, sévissant depuis longtemps dans cette partie du monde au point d’en constituer le trait de marque et valorisant une logique de confrontation entre des volontés souveraines peu soucieuses des intérêts des Etats tiers. Il dénote ainsi fermement une absence de prise de conscience du caractère commun des ressources hydrauliques et la nécessité de leur partage au sein d’une communauté d’intérêts. Il se trouve, par ailleurs, en retrait des mutations que connaît dernièrement le droit international des ressources hydrauliques partagées tant superficielles que souterraines. Loin de respecter l’unité hydrologique du bassin du Jourdain, ses stipulations ne permettent pas de donner leur plein effet aux principes de l’utilisation équitable et non dommageable de ses eaux. Or, ces principes coutumiers, désormais codifiés, préconisent une gestion intégrée et globale desdites ressources qui peine toujours à se réaliser le cas échéant. Ils se trouvent d’autant plus dénaturés dans la mesure où leur champ d’application demeure restreint incluant certains Etats riverains à l’exclusion d’autres. Pourtant, l’eau au Levant, dont la situation précaire est évidente, peut se transformer d’un élément générateur de tensions récurrentes à un facteur déclencheur d’une dynamique de coopération sur une échelle régionale. Des impératifs divers y contribueront immanquablement. Cette démarche aura toutefois tout à gagner en empruntant aux dernières avancées du droit international en la matière les modalités et procédures qu’elles prescrivent. Cet apport serait le garant d’une coopération multifonctionnelle et institutionnalisée, s’inscrivant dans un corpus juridique cohérent et global et oeuvrant à l’affermissement d’une culture de la paix. / The current legal framework that dictates the water distribution in the Levant can be considered as inapt and insufficient in the way it overlooks the populations’ current needs. Negotiated upon through a series of bilateral conventions that favored the interests of some sovereign states at the expense of others, today’s legal framework is sustaining the long-standing political tensions in the region. In hindsight, it appears as though the bilateral conventions have shaped a status quo that failed to take into account the vital characteristic of the natural resource in question and its essential need to be shared and equitably distributed in an approach that subscribes within the common interest. Today, although the international water distribution practices witnessed significant evolution, the Levant region nevertheless still finds itself enacting an outdated framework, one that overlooks the hydrological unity of the Jordan Basin. In practice, the bilateral conventions led to a sectarian division of resources as opposed to a more balanced and fair regional one allowing a full implementation to the principles of equitable and non harmful use of international water. These customary principles, now codified, can’t fully be effective through this lacking and deficient legal framework. However, the Levant’s water resources can go from being the bearer of regional tension, to triggering a series of cooperative talks. With a high number of imperatives at stake it is only a matter of time until the regional players reconvene and adopt a more suitable and equitable distribution practice. Doing so would bring about new levels of institutionalized and cooperative practices, which would ultimately lead to a strong affirmation of peace in the region.

Os recursos hídricos subterrâneos abastecem milhões de pessoas no mundo e constituem a principal reserva hídrica disponível para os seres humanos, contudo sua gestão é precária. A eminência de uma crise hídrica redirecionou os holofotes para os aquíferos transfronteiriços, o que demonstrou sua vulnerabilidade aos riscos e a necessidade de inseri-los nas políticas hídricas nacionais e internacionais. Gradualmente, o sistema internacional busca formas de incluir esses recursos e promover a sua governança e gestão. Esse foi o caso do Aquífero Guarani, alvo de diversos projetos de cooperação que convergiram no único acordo para a gestão conjunta de um aquífero transfronteiriço na América. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar como o direito internacional e a ordem ambiental internacional trataram a temática das águas subterrâneas e dos aquíferos transfronteiriços e quais são as suas estratégias para combater os riscos que ameaçam esses recursos, com foco no caso do aquífero Guarani. A metodologia utilizada foi a análise qualitativa de documentos internacionais e da bibliografia, e a realização de entrevistas com especialistas sobre o tema. O direito internacional das águas doces, voltado quase que exclusivamente para os cursos de água internacionais, se desdobra para incluir os aquíferos, o que se reflete em várias tentativas da comunidade epistêmica jurídica e na edição da Resolução da Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas nº 63/124 o direito internacional dos aquíferos transfronteiriços. Paralelamente, o sistema internacional, representado por um grupo específico de organizações internacionais busca traçar diretrizes objetivas e universais para esses recursos, tendo elegido a gestão integrada e a boa governança das águas como a melhor forma de protegê-los. Esses conceitos convidam a um aprofundamento da cooperação e a constituição de marcos jurídicos conjuntos, que podem contribuir para a elaboração de algum tipo de política de uso e proteção. Porém não questionam o cerne do problema que é a racionalidade econômica dominante. A cooperação internacional estabelecida entre Argentina, Brasil, Paraguai e Uruguai para o Aquífero Guarani e a assinatura de seu respectivo acordo são fruto desse contexto internacional que tem promovido à temática das águas subterrâneas. O modelo de cooperação adotado no Guarani vai replicar a ordem ambiental e o direito internacional das águas doces e expor seus avanços, limitações e contradições. / Groundwater resources supply millions of people worldwide and constitute the main water reserve available for mankind, but its management is precarious. The eminence of a water crisis redirected the spotlights to transboundary aquifers, which made evident their vulnerability to the risks and the need to insert them in the national and international water policies. Gradually, the international system seeks ways of including these resources and promoting their governance and management. This was the case of the Guarani Aquifer, the target of several cooperation projects that led to the only agreement for the joint management of a transboundary aquifer in America. The aim of this study is to analyze how international law and the environmental order treated the groundwaters and transboundary aquifers and what are their strategies to avoid the risks that threaten these resources, focused on the case of the Guarani Aquifer. The methodology used is the qualitative analysis of international documents and the bibliography on the theme. International water law, directed almost exclusively to surface water resources, makes efforts to include the aquifers, which is reflected in several attempts from the legal epistemic community and the edition of UN Resolution 63/124 the international law of transboundary aquifers. Parallel to this, the international system, represented by a specific group of international organizations, aims at drafting objective and universal guidelines for these resources, having elected the integrated water resources management and good water governance as the best way to protect them. These concepts are an invitation to dive deeper into the cooperation and constitution of joint legal landmarks, which can contribute, at least, to formatting some type of use and protection policy. Nevertheless, they do not question the core problem, which is the dominating economic rationale. The international cooperation established between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay for the Guarani Aquifer and the signature of the respective agreement are the result of this international context that has promoted the groundwater theme. The cooperation model adopted for the Guarani will replicate the international environmental order and international water law and expose their advances, limitations and contradictions.

Achieving global water sustainability through a resilient international legal architecture presents one of the most pressing challenges within our resource finite planet. A staggering 42 percent of the total land area of the earth is covered by transboundary river basins, where more than 40 percent of the global population lives and depends on the ecosystem services of the 286 transboundary river basins and 200 transboundary aquifers stretching across the political boundaries of 151 countries. There is already evidence of water resources becoming a source of conflict in many regions and constraining a whole myriad of securities – climate, human, environmental, food, economic, energy – on various levels of society. The international legal architecture to manage this critical natural resource is the overarching area of inquiry in this thesis, and requires improvement to address current and predicted future transboundary water challenges, conflicts and strengthen cooperation. Despite the establishment of around 690 river basin treaties, many of these agreements completely miss or provide unclear provisions on principles and rules of international water law. Until recently there was no legally binding global treaty on transboundary watercourses and customary international law has provided the default rules in the absence of agreements and facilitated the re-interpretation of older agreements in accordance with the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Now there are potentially two global treaties, with the recent entry into force of the 1997 UN Watercourses Convention and the global opening up of the 1992 pan-regional United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Water Convention, to all UN member states. There is also a plethora of other international environmental legal and non-legally binding instruments, indirectly addressing international law relevant to transboundary watercourses and freshwater ecosystems. Legal regimes for the protection and use of international river basins cannot be interpreted and applied in isolation from other relevant norms of international environmental and general international law. This thesis seeks to understand the rising role and contribution of regional approaches relevant to international law on transboundary watercourses and freshwater ecosystems. More specifically it explores the contribution of the UNECE Water Convention and other relevant UNECE environmental instruments as a structurally distinctive ‘regime’. This thesis introduces a novel conception of a broader ‘UNECE water regime’ which includes the Water Convention, the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice (Aarhus Convention), the Convention on Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment (Espoo Convention), the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents, as well as their protocols and non-binding instruments. This research demonstrates how these instruments and their institutions can be interpreted and understood to form a common framework of rules, principles and approaches which fills critical gaps in basin treaties, and collectively contributes to the clarification and development of international law on transboundary watercourses and freshwater ecosystems. This analysis also explores institutional interaction and coordination between and beyond the UNECE pan-regional agreements, as well as the role of soft law or non-binding instruments, and state and non-state actors in the regime. This thesis seeks to contribute to a more coherent understanding of the relationship between the UNECE water regime, international water law, international environmental law and general international law. The UNECE water regime has contributed to clarifying many of the cornerstone rules and principles of international water law and it is argued that the UNECE water regime is lex specialis, which can and mostly does go beyond the UN Watercourses Convention. The UNECE water regime has also arguably spearheaded a paradigm shift in international water law, which sees it moving beyond its historically predominant focus on issues of transboundary impact and utilisation towards a stronger ecosystem orientated approach to environmental protection and equitable use of transboundary river basins. This research identifies key elements of an ecosystem approach, drawing from international environmental and international water law and demonstrates how the ecosystem approach, including ecosystem services, as supported by the UNECE water regime, affects interpretation of international water law towards enhancing ecosystem protection and intra-state equity. This research also explores how the UNECE regime goes beyond what exists elsewhere in international law and international water law on public participation and access to justice. Finally, this research examines the contribution of the UNECE regime vis-à-vis international and European Union water law, across the spectrum of pan-European river basins, especially focusing on the Danube, Sava and Western Bug basins. The UNECE water regime is the most evolved pan-regional regime of its kind, providing ambitious detailed standards and clarification of rules and principles relevant to transboundary watercourses and freshwater ecosystems. It also provides a valuable model of institutional cooperation, progressively engaging state and non-state actors. As this regime takes steps towards realising its global ambition, with almost all instruments now open to all UN member states, and the recent accession by Chad to the Water Convention, this analysis demonstrates why this is predominantly a positive endeavour but also highlights potential challenges and hurdles. This research thus explores the implications and benefits of the UNECE’s rising role in strengthening the international legal architecture to protect the world’s fragile transboundary watercourses and freshwater ecosystems.

Solar Irrigation Pumps (SIPs) are used to pump (ground and surface) water to irrigate farm lands. In a country with a historical mismatch of energy supply and demand, and almost 120 million families dependent on earnings from agriculture (Prachi Salve, 2014), SIPs offer great prospects. Unlike electric and diesel pumps – dominating the market till today – SIPs have almost zero marginal costs. This leads to extra crop production at negligible costs and also generation of electricity when not being used for pumping. Due to almost zero emissions, it simultaneously addresses the issue of climate change hence bringing prosperity to the population at all levels.SIPs are a new phenomenon in India and due to the comparatively1 high capital costs, SIPs require subsidies to make them affordable for a farmer. Support in the form of subsidies has been given to around 15,000 farms in the whole country. By introducing solar pumps on a subsidy scheme in 2009-2010, Rajasthan has become the pioneer state of India. Since then numerous solar pumps have been deployed and farmers have gained experience with their usage. These farmers appear to be happy with the functioning of the pumps; 95% of the farmers, who gained enough knowledge to answer the question, say that the pump works better than their diesel or electric pump. A surprising finding is that the project cost per pump is getting higher while the pumps are getting cheaper. This means that the government is using more money to run the project. To find the reasons for the rising project costs and to find a way to decrease them, further research is needed. If the project cost could be decreased more pumps could be supplied with the same amount of subsidy.It was also found that the SIPs were not successful in replacing the electric and diesel pumps. The diesel and electric pumps had more horse power (hp) so were able to pump more water resulting in irrigation of more land in the same amount of time. Farmers expressed they could fully switch to SIPs when more powerful pumps were supplied.Because the present SIPs are off grid systems, it is not possible to sell the excess electricity that is not needed for pumping water. Because there are no marginal costs, there is no incentive for switching off the machines either. The consequence is excessive pumping of water leading to groundwater depletion. An important improvement would be to connect these pumps to the electricity grid. The possibility to earn some money with delivering energy would probably be a good reason to stop needless pumping.The subsidy program that was in place in Rajasthan had an 86% capital subsidy (the farmer had to pay only 14% of the price of SIP). With the available money only 10,000 pumps per year could be supplied (Dr. Dinesh Kumar Goyal, 2013). When the subsidy per pump is decreased more pumps could be deployed and it was shown that even with a lower subsidy getting a SIP will still be attractive.One of the points of improvement for a quick roll out of SIPs might be found in the way these pumps are financed. Pumps have a high capital cost and are currently financed by 70-90% capital subsidies of the government. The amount of total subsidy is limited and so with a high percentage of subsidy a small amount of pumps are deployed by this subsidy. These subsidies could be dramatically reduced when a loan/lease product would be put in place. Without a bank loan farmers are unable to pay the major part of the capital cost of the pump. Offering a bank loan is a win-win situation for the farmers and the people of India, represented by the government. With these pumps farmers are able to sell electricity to the grid and earn extra income or they can sell water to other farmers for a price below the price of current diesel pumping. With this income they could pay off the loan in 7 years and earn a reasonable income. The people of India will not only benefit by having to pay less for subsidies, they will also benefit from less greenhouse gas emissions as solar has almost zero emissions compared to mainly coal based electricity pumps and diesel pumps.SIPs supplying electricity can have a big effect on grid stability. Hence, in chapter 6 the question of grid stability was raised. Under what conditions can the Indian grid deal with a large amount of electricity injected from SIPs. India currently has 70% of the electricity produced from coal power plants while 3% comes from Nuclear power plants (Trading Economics, 2011a). These sources have a response time of several hours which is not quick enough to respond to fluctuations in the demand of energy by for example households, or a change in production by other sources, for example solar. The present sources should be partly replaced by quick response sources like the renewable sources and gas turbines. Currently 6% of the installed capacity is a gas power plant (Central Electricity Authority, 2015) but this percentage should be increased. Also other solutions should be implemented, such as developing storage of energy and more interconnections between grids of states and other countries.Since the idea is that SIPs would not use electricity from the grid anymore unlike electric pumps, 25% of electricity currently used from the grid by agriculture will be less. The current electric pumps only get electricity for certain hours a day and are used to balance the grid, only at times of low electricity use of other users, farmers will get electricity. When the electric pumps are replaced by SIPs that do not use electricity from the grid the balancing function that the electric pumps currently fulfil will no longer be present. Having no experience with SIPs connected to the grid so far, it will be difficult for the state load dispatch centres, which manage the grid, to schedule the expected load. Hence, pilots should be set up to find out how these pumps are used throughout the day so that in the future these loads can be predicted. In Gujarat the solar installed capacity could easily be a fivefold without having to invest in extra capacity of quick responsive sources, since enough installed capacity of gas turbines is already in place but currently not used. Extra investment would be needed in the grid in order to be able to transmit so much electricity over the grid from the (distributed) solar plants.Solar irrigation pumps, when implemented correctly, can not only lead to much cheaper irrigation for farmers but also less groundwater depletion and a source of extra income. Solar pumps can lead the way to more prosperity for the Indian people, but new guidelines and plans have to be made by the government to realise this potential. Without policy changes as described in this thesis SIPs benefit a small number of lucky farmers at the expense of the larger whole (wasting public money and groundwater).

二十一世紀，水資源問題已經成為國際社會共同關注的焦點。它不僅關係到地球生態系統的維繫和人類社會的可持續發展，還對當代國際關係產生廣泛深遠的影響。尤其是水資源匱乏地區，水資源問題已成為影響該地區國家間關係的重要因素，甚至對地區的和平與發展穩定構成威脅。 受地理因素影響，中亞地區的水資源多為跨境水體，造成了該地區水資源開發主體的多樣性。各國對水資源長期不合理的開發利用，產生了一系列的浪費及污染問題，引發了許多國際爭端。為此，中亞各國簽訂一系列雙邊、多邊協議，試圖通過國際合作來解決跨境水資源問題，然而卻無法形成一個長期有效的合作機制。圍繞國際水資源的利用、開發、管理而產生的爭端依然困擾著中亞。 本文首先是闡述中亞水資源概況及開發歷程，探索中亞水資源問題產生的根源。其次，從中亞各國之間採取的政策互動入手，分析探討中亞在國際水資源開發中的「合作困境」。最後借鑒國際跨境水資源利用現狀與趨勢，分析構建有助於目標實現的制度安排，從而提出中亞國際水資源合作的解決途徑。通過構建切實發揮效能的區域水資源合作機制，推動中亞各國內部實現更好發展，同時促進整個中亞及鄰國、周邊地區的穩定發展。 / In the 21st century, the issue of water resources has become the focus of common concern of the international community. It is not only related to the maintenance of the earth's ecosystem and the sustainable development of human society, but also has a far-reaching impact on contemporary international relations. Especially in water-scarce areas, water resources has become an important factor affecting relations among countries in the region, and even poses a threat to regional peace and development and stability. Due to geographical factors, water resources in Central Asia are mostly transboundary water bodies, resulting in the diversification of water resources development in the region. The unreasonable exploitation and utilization of water resources in a long period of time has brought about a series of waste and pollution problems, which has caused many international disputes. To this end, the Central Asian countries signed a series of bilateral and multilateral agreements, trying to solve international water resources through cross-border issues, but can not form a long-term effective cooperation mechanism. Disputes over the use, development and management of international water resources continue to haunt Central Asia. This paper firstly elaborates the general situation and development process of water resources in Central Asia, and explores the root causes of water resources problems in Central Asia. Secondly, this paper analyzes the interaction dilemma of Central Asia in international water resources development from the policy interaction among the countries of Central Asia. Finally, it draws lessons from the current situation and trend of international transboundary water resources utilization, analyzes and constructs the institutional arrangements that will help the target to achieve, and then proposes the solutions to the international water resources cooperation in Central Asia. Through the construction of effective regional water resources cooperation mechanism, it can promote better development within the Central Asian countries, and stimulate the stable development of the whole Central Asia, the neighboring countries and even the surrounding areas.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T20:21:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Luiz Ricardo Guimaraes.pdf: 1051751 bytes, checksum: c433ca561ae5efe1f4c4d4ac7c161ea2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-03-23 / The concern about fresh water reserves on the planet has grown in the last decades of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st due to the pollution and the increasing consumption generated by society s industrial, agricultural and demographic advancement. However, the fresh water existing in the Earth has been practically the same for thousands of years and it is intrinsically connected to the maintenance of life. There already are regions on Earth that suffer due the absence of such precious environmental resource, and there are forecasts of increase of the global shortage. In this scene, it was divulgated, only with preliminary studies, one of the largest subterranean water reserves of the world, located between Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay: the Guarani Aquifer System. It has been divulged on the media as an immense box of mineral water protected from the evil advancement of modern civilization, and that was available to solve all of the water problems. Such reserve exists, but there are disagreements about its dimension, interconnection and waters´ quality. Anyway, the Guarani arouses the most diverse economic interests in areas such as public supplying, agriculture, thermal, industry, among many others, for being a strategic reserve for a not so distant future. To avoid it s degradation and super exploration, the legislation that protects it and rules it s administration must be efficient, because it s decontamination is practically unviable, besides it s reserves may exhaust. The first obstacle is the lack of conclusive scientific studies, what generates the need of the norms attempt to the precaution principle. The greatest challenge is that Guarani Aquifer System is part under the Estate, federal and international control areas at the same time. There is no legislation specific about Guarani, been it included in the subterranean waters protection. Brazilian s environmental legislation is considered one of the world s most moderns. Including diverse environmental principles and having a specific space for water resources. Besides, with the National Politic of Water Resources being implanted since a decade ago, there are administration systems in advanced development. In Mercosul ambit, the environmental protection system as a whole did not left the theorist field. In the event of conflicts, arbitral courts may be used. Internationally, the environmental defense mechanisms are mostly in the ambit of ONU. Many conferences took place and its ideas were and still are used for the advance of environmental protection. The efficacy of the international system is too restricted and depends on the good will of the involved countries because of sovereignty s questions. The Guarani Aquifer System needs a plain administration, mostly on the national level, because its larger part is located inside Brazilian territory, but it also depends on boundary agreements, under safeguard and advisement of law and international organizations to attempt, in its exploration, the principle of sustainable development and to have, as a primordial finality, the provision for human use, in opposite to economic interests that would benefit only a selected group / A preocupação com as reservas de água doce no planeta cresceu nas últimas décadas do século XX e no início do XXI devido à poluição e ao crescente consumo gerado pelo avanço industrial, agrícola e demográfico da sociedade. Mas a água existente na Terra é praticamente a mesma há milhares de anos e está intrinsecamente ligada à manutenção da vida. Já há regiões no mundo que sofrem com a ausência de tão precioso recurso ambiental e há previsões de aumento da escassez mundial. Nesse cenário, divulgou-se, com apenas estudos preliminares, uma das maiores reservas mundiais de águas subterrâneas, situada entre Brasil, Argentina, Paraguai e Uruguai: o Sistema Aqüífero Guarani. Ele foi propagado nos meios técnicos e na mídia como se fosse uma imensa caixa de água mineral protegida dos avanços maléficos da civilização moderna e que estava à disposição para resolver todos os problemas hídricos. Tal reserva existe, mas há divergências em relação à sua dimensão, interconexão e à qualidade de suas águas. Mesmo assim, o Guarani gera os mais diversos interesses econômicos no campo do abastecimento público, agricultura, indústria, termal, entre outros, entendendo-se ser uma reserva estratégica para um futuro não tão distante. Para evitar sua degradação e superexploração, a legislação que o protege e normatiza sua gestão deve ser eficaz, pois é praticamente inviável sua descontaminação, além de suas reservas poderem ser esgotadas. A primeira dificuldade está na falta de estudos científicos conclusivos, o que gera a necessidade de as normas atenderem ao princípio da precaução. O maior desafio é o fato de o Sistema Aqüífero Guarani estar, em parte, na esfera de domínio estadual, federal e internacional. Não existe uma legislação específica sobre o Guarani, estando ele incluído na proteção das águas subterrâneas. A legislação ambiental brasileira é considerada umas das mais modernas do mundo, abrangendo diversos princípios ambientais e tendo o campo específico dos recursos hídricos. Além disso, com a Política Nacional de Recursos Hídricos em implantação há uma década, há sistemas de gestão em avançado desenvolvimento. No âmbito do Mercosul, o sistema de proteção ambiental como um todo não saiu do campo teórico, podendo se tentar acordos no âmbito dos tribunais arbitrais. Internacionalmente, os mecanismos de defesa ambiental ficam, na maioria dos casos, no âmbito da ONU. Diversas conferências foram realizadas e suas idéias serviram e servem de base para o avanço da proteção ambiental. A eficácia do sistema internacional é muito limitada e depende da boa vontade dos países envolvidos devido à questão da soberania. O Sistema Aqüífero Guarani precisa ter uma gestão plena, principalmente em nível nacional, pelo fato de a maior parte de sua extensão estar em território brasileiro, mas também depende de acordos em nível transfronteiriço, sob a salvaguarda e monitoramento do Direito e organismos internacionais para que ele atenda, em sua exploração, ao princípio do desenvolvimento sustentável e tenha, como finalidade primordial, o abastecimento para consumo humano face aos interesses econômicos que beneficiariam apenas um seleto grupo

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T14:56:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Luiz Ricardo Guimaraes.pdf: 1051751 bytes, checksum: c433ca561ae5efe1f4c4d4ac7c161ea2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-03-23 / The concern about fresh water reserves on the planet has grown in the last decades of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st due to the pollution and the increasing consumption generated by society s industrial, agricultural and demographic advancement. However, the fresh water existing in the Earth has been practically the same for thousands of years and it is intrinsically connected to the maintenance of life. There already are regions on Earth that suffer due the absence of such precious environmental resource, and there are forecasts of increase of the global shortage. In this scene, it was divulgated, only with preliminary studies, one of the largest subterranean water reserves of the world, located between Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay: the Guarani Aquifer System. It has been divulged on the media as an immense box of mineral water protected from the evil advancement of modern civilization, and that was available to solve all of the water problems. Such reserve exists, but there are disagreements about its dimension, interconnection and waters´ quality. Anyway, the Guarani arouses the most diverse economic interests in areas such as public supplying, agriculture, thermal, industry, among many others, for being a strategic reserve for a not so distant future. To avoid it s degradation and super exploration, the legislation that protects it and rules it s administration must be efficient, because it s decontamination is practically unviable, besides it s reserves may exhaust. The first obstacle is the lack of conclusive scientific studies, what generates the need of the norms attempt to the precaution principle. The greatest challenge is that Guarani Aquifer System is part under the Estate, federal and international control areas at the same time. There is no legislation specific about Guarani, been it included in the subterranean waters protection. Brazilian s environmental legislation is considered one of the world s most moderns. Including diverse environmental principles and having a specific space for water resources. Besides, with the National Politic of Water Resources being implanted since a decade ago, there are administration systems in advanced development. In Mercosul ambit, the environmental protection system as a whole did not left the theorist field. In the event of conflicts, arbitral courts may be used. Internationally, the environmental defense mechanisms are mostly in the ambit of ONU. Many conferences took place and its ideas were and still are used for the advance of environmental protection. The efficacy of the international system is too restricted and depends on the good will of the involved countries because of sovereignty s questions. The Guarani Aquifer System needs a plain administration, mostly on the national level, because its larger part is located inside Brazilian territory, but it also depends on boundary agreements, under safeguard and advisement of law and international organizations to attempt, in its exploration, the principle of sustainable development and to have, as a primordial finality, the provision for human use, in opposite to economic interests that would benefit only a selected group / A preocupação com as reservas de água doce no planeta cresceu nas últimas décadas do século XX e no início do XXI devido à poluição e ao crescente consumo gerado pelo avanço industrial, agrícola e demográfico da sociedade. Mas a água existente na Terra é praticamente a mesma há milhares de anos e está intrinsecamente ligada à manutenção da vida. Já há regiões no mundo que sofrem com a ausência de tão precioso recurso ambiental e há previsões de aumento da escassez mundial. Nesse cenário, divulgou-se, com apenas estudos preliminares, uma das maiores reservas mundiais de águas subterrâneas, situada entre Brasil, Argentina, Paraguai e Uruguai: o Sistema Aqüífero Guarani. Ele foi propagado nos meios técnicos e na mídia como se fosse uma imensa caixa de água mineral protegida dos avanços maléficos da civilização moderna e que estava à disposição para resolver todos os problemas hídricos. Tal reserva existe, mas há divergências em relação à sua dimensão, interconexão e à qualidade de suas águas. Mesmo assim, o Guarani gera os mais diversos interesses econômicos no campo do abastecimento público, agricultura, indústria, termal, entre outros, entendendo-se ser uma reserva estratégica para um futuro não tão distante. Para evitar sua degradação e superexploração, a legislação que o protege e normatiza sua gestão deve ser eficaz, pois é praticamente inviável sua descontaminação, além de suas reservas poderem ser esgotadas. A primeira dificuldade está na falta de estudos científicos conclusivos, o que gera a necessidade de as normas atenderem ao princípio da precaução. O maior desafio é o fato de o Sistema Aqüífero Guarani estar, em parte, na esfera de domínio estadual, federal e internacional. Não existe uma legislação específica sobre o Guarani, estando ele incluído na proteção das águas subterrâneas. A legislação ambiental brasileira é considerada umas das mais modernas do mundo, abrangendo diversos princípios ambientais e tendo o campo específico dos recursos hídricos. Além disso, com a Política Nacional de Recursos Hídricos em implantação há uma década, há sistemas de gestão em avançado desenvolvimento. No âmbito do Mercosul, o sistema de proteção ambiental como um todo não saiu do campo teórico, podendo se tentar acordos no âmbito dos tribunais arbitrais. Internacionalmente, os mecanismos de defesa ambiental ficam, na maioria dos casos, no âmbito da ONU. Diversas conferências foram realizadas e suas idéias serviram e servem de base para o avanço da proteção ambiental. A eficácia do sistema internacional é muito limitada e depende da boa vontade dos países envolvidos devido à questão da soberania. O Sistema Aqüífero Guarani precisa ter uma gestão plena, principalmente em nível nacional, pelo fato de a maior parte de sua extensão estar em território brasileiro, mas também depende de acordos em nível transfronteiriço, sob a salvaguarda e monitoramento do Direito e organismos internacionais para que ele atenda, em sua exploração, ao princípio do desenvolvimento sustentável e tenha, como finalidade primordial, o abastecimento para consumo humano face aos interesses econômicos que beneficiariam apenas um seleto grupo