Resources

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MOOC n°4 - Water Cooperation and Diplomacy

It's a great pleasure to launch this MOOC on Water Cooperation and Diplomacy! This on line training includes newly developed as well as innovative material and data addressed to a wide audience of students, professionals, academics, policy and decision makers involved in water cooperation and diplomacy. It is composed of five modules (see below) and includes a variety of training material i.e. lectures, interviews, maps, case studies, exercises and role plays. Register here.

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Environmental peacebuilding training - 25-29 September 2023

The Geneva Water Hub and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia have joined their forces to develop a training course on “Environmental Peacebuilding” which will take place in Geneva. This course aims to comprehensively explore the theoretical foundations, legal frameworks, and challenges associated with environmental peacebuilding.

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Article - Exploring friendship in hydropolitics: The case of the friendship dam on the Asi/Orontes river

“Friendship dams” are an explicit, yet underexplored, materialization of hydropolitics that illustrate the potential role of water in international cooperation. Via a case study analysis of the Syria-Turkey Friendship Dam project proposed for the Asi/Orontes river, we trace the process of cooperation that led to the use of this notion of “friendship” in transboundary cooperation. Using a transversal analysis ofdifferent phases of cooperation and non-cooperation, we consider broad, big-picture political and diplomatic factors related to water and beyond.

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Article - Why negotiate water problems when we can deliberate water solutions?

On 21 March 2023, the Geneva Water Hub contributed to the monthly edition of Nature Water "Research in support of the UN 2023 Water Conference" series. The article benefited from contributions from our Lead Political Advisor, Prof Danilo Türk, our Director General, Prof Mark Zeitoun, our Lead Diplomatic and International Relationship Specialist, Noura Kayal and former Senior Scientific Officer, Dr Sumit Vij. Entitled "Why negotiate water problems when we can deliberate water solutions?", the article calls on international political leaders to de-securitise and re-politicise water to help enacting solutions that address the global water crisis and foster multilateralism at the same time.

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Missing the “Peace” piece of the Water Puzzle - Global Observatory for Water and Peace Brief for the UN 2023 Water Conference

This Global Observatory for Water and Peace (GOWP) brief sets out the merits of a fundamental rethinking of the approach of the global community to water as a vehicle of peace. It entails recognizing the interconnection between water and peace as an over-arching framework for achieving the goals of the UN 2023 Water Conference and the Agenda 2030, and to ensure social stability and the preservation of peace as a matter of well-being and prosperity.

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A Study of National Legal Frameworks Related to the Protection of Water During Armed Conflicts - A Follow-Up Study to the Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure

The report assesses the extent to which existing national legal frameworks adhere to international law regarding the protection of water infrastructure and water-related infrastructure during and after armed conflicts. It incorporates the growing body of knowledge on the protection of water resources under the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, and as part of the environment. The objective is to provide guidance to parties to armed conflicts and a wide range of stakeholders who play different roles in promoting compliance with the relevant norms, including military experts, humanitarian organizations, and advocacy groups.

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Publication - The Legal Protection of Freshwater Resources and Related Installations during Warfare

Armed conflicts have an impact on freshwater resources and often damage water installations, which could be targeted or incidentally damaged, affecting water quality and quantity and limiting access for the civilian population. Thus, in situations of armed conflict, protecting freshwater resources and related installations becomes essential. International humanitarian law (IHL) and international environmental law (IEL) provide for relevant rules that limit the impact of armed conflicts on freshwater and water infrastructure.

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The Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure

The Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure is the result of a think-tank process started by the Geneva Water Hub’s Platform for International Water Law in 2016 during the reflection carried out by the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace. In June 2021, noting the emerging cyber security threats, evolution in military cyber capabilities, and the water sector’s vulnerability, the Geneva Water Hub developed a principle on “Cyber Operations” dealing with the protection of water infrastructure and water-related infrastructure as an Annex.

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Webinar - The Relationship between the Principle of Equitable and Reasonable Utilization and the Obligation Not to Cause Significant Harm

The Geneva Water Hub and the University of Geneva’s Centre for Continuing and Distance Education are pleased to invite you to this two hour webinar on "The Relationship between the Principle of Equitable and Reasonable Utilization and the Obligation Not to Cause Significant Harm"

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Monthly Water Map n°5 - The water-related funding strategies in the Liptako-Gourma region

The prioritization of water in the international agenda of response to the security crisis in Sahel is a major challenge. It affects the fields of peace, development, humanitarian aid and security. The access to water constitutes an essential need for affected communities, but also an essential aspect of the recovery of rural economies.

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Online Course on International Water Law and the Law of Transboundary Aquifers - 7th Edition

Would you like to acquire or deepen your knowledge of international principles and norms that govern the management and protection of freshwater resources? The Geneva Water Hub, together with the University of Geneva, invite you to participate in the 7th edition of its Online Course on International Water Law and the Law of Transboundary Aquifers which will take place from 10 October to 17 December 2022.
 

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The water-related funding strategies in the Liptako-Gourma region: The challenges of cooperation between humanitarian aid, development and peace

The prioritization of water in the international agenda of response to the security crisis in Sahel is a major challenge for organizations and experts in the fields of peace, development, humanitarian aid and security. This study on the water-related budget-commitments aims at providing an overview of the financial commitments in the field of water and its productive uses.

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First Annual Report of the Global Observatory for Water and Peace (GOWP)

The following document presents the perspectives of the actors brought together through the Global Observatory for Water and Peace (GOWP). As the introduction to this collection details, the GOWP initiates and facilitates dialogue, marshals supporting research and creates momentum towards the use of water as a catalyst for peace. Through this report, the Observatory is also a global stage upon which different actors can demonstrate how they do exactly that.

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"Exploring discursive hydropolitics: a conceptual framework and research agenda"

Much has been written on hydropolitics, or on the interplays between transboundary water resource issues and politics. This article builds on recent calls for more research on the role of discourses in shaping hydropolitics. It proposes a conceptual framework, inspired by critical discourse analysis, for the systematic investigation of how discursive practices construct and enact actors’ power positions in transboundary basin governance.

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The Drama of Water in a Time of Global Transformation

The Geneva Water Hub and International Association of Lake Regions, prepared the present publication: “The Drama of Water in a Time of Global Transformation”- a trilateral dialogue between Russian experts, the International Association of Lake Regions and the Geneva Water Hub and partner experts, which we hope will be used as a reference document by actors in hydropolitics, and water diplomacy.

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The Comparative Study on Empowering Women in Water Diplomacy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region

The role of women in water diplomacy related decision-making has been underestimated, despite the acknowledged essential role of women in peacebuilding, conflict management and sustaining security, as reaffirmed by the landmark United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (adopted on 31 October 2000) and by the eight resolutions on the issue adopted thereafter.

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MEDRC Transboundary Waters – Practioners Briefing Series – Issue 8 – Gender and Transboundary Water

In this edition of MEDRC's "Transboundary Waters", Natasha Carmi, our Lead water specialist, is invited to apply a gender lens to the challenges of water security and transboundary cooperation, and discuss methods for achieving the SDG of Gender Equality in the water sector

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Witnessing the Environmental Impacts of War - Environmental case studies from conflict zones around the world

With case studies from Iraq, Syria, Colombia, Yemen, Ukraine, Laos DPR and Senegal, this jointly produced report provides a snapshot of environments impacted by active conflict, post conflict governance gaps, and humanitarian efforts to restore usable lands. The stories tell a tale of the often complex relationship between armed conflict and its environment footprint that lingers long after the guns fell silent.

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"Water for peace: preventing conflict related to water and wetlands"

As part of the 2020 World Bank Fragility Forum, and In collaboration with The Water, Peace and Security (WPS) partnerhsip and Wetlands International, we contributed to a World Bank Blog article entitled “Water for peace: preventing conflict related to water and wetlands”. This piece is part of the 2020 Fragility Forum along partners’ podcasts.

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MOOC n°1 - Water Resources Management and Policy

As of 4 Januars 2016, the "Education and Knowledge" component of the Geneva Water Hub has made the MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on Water Resources Management and Policy on the Coursera platform available in English. This course is a first of a series, it is free of charge and freely accessible.

Water management nowadays faces new challenges, such as climate change or the influence of anthropogenic activities. Public or private actors in this field have to develop new competences to better manage the water cycle “at large”.

Sign-in at www.coursera.org/learn/water-management!

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Review of European, Community and International Environmental Law Special Issue

Volume 29, Issue 1.
Special Issue:Water Protection and Armed Conflicts in International Law.

The issue of water security and protection in relation to armed conflicts has been examined from various perspectives and approaches, including by academics in law, political science, peace and conflict studies as well as by decision makers and practitioners from States, international organizations and civil society.

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2019 Webinars in International Water Law

As part of the 2019 edition of the online course on “International Water Law and the Law of Transboundary Aquifers”, the Geneva Water Hub and the Platform for International Water Law, in collaboration with DiploFoundation, organized the following webinar

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2018 Webinars in International Water Law

As part of the 2018 edition of the online course on “International Water Law and the Law of Transboundary Aquifers”, the Geneva Water Hub and the Platform for International Water Law, in collaboration with DiploFoundation, organized two webinars.

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2016 and 2017 Webinars in International Water Law

As part of the 2016 and 2017 editions of the online course on “International Water Law and the Law of Transboundary Aquifers”, the Geneva Water Hub and the Platform for International Water Law, in collaboration with DiploFoundation, organized a series of webinars. International experts from different disciplines, including law, political science and natural sciences, participated in these webinars.

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Water Talks Series n°4 - Prof. A. Wolf

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Water Talks Series n°4 - Prof. T. Bernauer

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Bibliography - Water Conflict and Cooperation

Since the beginning of the 1990s, there is a growing number of publication related to water as causal factors for armed conflicts in water scarce regions. After several publications criticizing this “water wars” literature, articles have focused on different intensity of water conflicts and on water cooperation with a very large number of articles published in the last few years. Academics and research centers, such as the Pacific Institute, use and develop these concepts but also international organizations and NGOs that try to implement water cooperation mechanisms in such conflicts.

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Bibliography - Water Security

Water security could be broadly defined as a water system that provides enough water, in terms of quantity and quality, to human or non-human users. Water security is ensured if users are safe from water access and water-related risks. This notion appears central in water governance narratives and is often linked to notions such as the water nexus and integrated water resource management (IWRM). The idea of water security initially came from practitioners, and later on academics took interest on it. The notion was already used to a great extent in 1990’s, but since 2004-2005 water security became a key notion to water governance and related publications rose sharply.

 

L'eau est-elle géopolitique ?

Is Water Geopolitical?

Mr Jean-Christophe Victor addresses the questions around water in the world. His approach is both quantitative – consequences of water stress, minimum management, cropping patterns, improved irrigation techniques – and qualitative. Access to water – is this a source of tension or outright war? Pollution and is this a factor in social unrest?

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Water Talks Series n°1 - Dr. Jeremy Allouche

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