TRANSBOUNDARY RIVER BASINS: BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF INTERSTATE COOPERATION
Zh.T. Sivokhip, A.A. Chibilev
Institute of Steppe, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Orenburg, Russia
Keywords: state border, systemаtic approach, structural and dynamic integrity, natural-social geosystem, environmental conflicts, transboundary basin of the Ural river
Abstract
The characteristics of the basic principles for solving the problems of interstate cooperation in transboundary river basins are presented. It is shown that in order to solve problems, it is necessary to have an idea of the patterns of functioning of these complexes under different economic policies of the states engaged in water use. Based on the long-term practices of interstate interaction, it was noted that the larger is the number of states intersecting a transboundary watercourse, the more difficult is the process of implementing measures of integrated water resources management. The main factors of development and exacerbation of water use conflicts in transboundary river basins are identified. An analysis of institutional and legal formats of interaction between states - water users has been carried out. The predominance of bilateral agreements and the lack of interest in the development of universal multilateral treaties were noted. From the standpoint of structural and functional integrity, the expediency of considering transboundary river basins from the standpoint of the basin principle is substantiated. It is concluded that under conditions of significant anthropogenic fragmentation of transboundary river basins, a quasi-integral natural-social geosystem of the regional level is formed. It is noted that taking into account the complexity and inconsistency of the “transboundary river basin” category, a universal approach is needed to solving the problems of interstate interaction, which makes it possible to combine the basic principles (limnological, institutional-legal and basin principle) into a single conceptual model. Such tasks can be successfully solved through the implementation of the main provisions of a systematic approach, the application of which will make it possible to determine the individual characteristics of a transboundary basin and synthesize them into a single whole, develop integrated water resource management schemes, coordinate joint actions of water-user states and move from private solutions of problems of interstate interaction to complex problems.
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