Founta<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> public square, Chile. Photo credit: Keith Davis. 44 — Hydropolitical Vulnerability and Resilience along International Waters: <strong>Lat<strong>in</strong></strong> <strong>America</strong> and the Caribbean
CHAPTER 3. HYDROPOLITICAL VULNERABILITY OF SOUTH AMERICA’S INTERNATIONAL WATER RESOURCES Joshua T. Newton The South <strong>America</strong>n cont<strong>in</strong>ent is the richest hydrological region of the world and conta<strong>in</strong>s some of its largest rivers. Yet even with an abundance of one of the earth’s most precious natural resources, South <strong>America</strong> is extremely susceptible to hydropolitical vulnerability due to many factors that affect its political, social, ecological, and economic environments. With countries <strong>in</strong>dustrializ<strong>in</strong>g and moderniz<strong>in</strong>g, changes are <strong>in</strong>fluenc<strong>in</strong>g whole sectors and are impact<strong>in</strong>g the way <strong>in</strong> which people utilize water resources <strong>in</strong> the region. The fact that most of the freshwater of the cont<strong>in</strong>ent is shared between countries adds an additional dynamic to a situation that is potentially very conflictive. An <strong>in</strong>ternational approach to water resources is a relatively new concept for much of South <strong>America</strong>, as it is <strong>in</strong> many parts of the world. Although <strong>in</strong> some <strong>in</strong>ternational bas<strong>in</strong>s, notably Lake Titicaca and the La Plata River, river bas<strong>in</strong> organizations have been work<strong>in</strong>g together for decades, for most of the cont<strong>in</strong>ent, <strong>in</strong>ternational river bas<strong>in</strong> management has come about only with<strong>in</strong> the past five to ten years. Such <strong>in</strong>stitutional frameworks can aid <strong>in</strong> the mitigation of conflict and natural disasters; however, because these organizations are still relatively new, they may not be fully prepared to handle many of the issues contribut<strong>in</strong>g to hydropolitical vulnerability <strong>in</strong> South <strong>America</strong>. The first section of this chapter will set the stage by look<strong>in</strong>g at South <strong>America</strong> and its <strong>in</strong>ternational river bas<strong>in</strong>s, exam<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the various cases that exist with<strong>in</strong> the region. After this groundwork has been laid, the most important issues affect<strong>in</strong>g the vulnerability of bas<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> South <strong>America</strong> will be addressed, attempt<strong>in</strong>g to p<strong>in</strong>po<strong>in</strong>t areas that are most at risk to conflict. There are several examples of bas<strong>in</strong>s where extensive work is be<strong>in</strong>g carried out and the next section will explore whether the <strong>in</strong>stitutions confront<strong>in</strong>g the issues of these <strong>in</strong>ternational bas<strong>in</strong>s are be<strong>in</strong>g effective <strong>in</strong> mitigat<strong>in</strong>g potential conflicts between stakeholders. Through this process, we will be able to identify weak po<strong>in</strong>ts where efforts should be concentrated with<strong>in</strong> South <strong>America</strong> <strong>in</strong> order to prevent future disputes over transboundary waters. 3.1 SOUTH AMERICA’S INTERNATIONAL RIVER BASINS South <strong>America</strong>, the world’s fourth-largest cont<strong>in</strong>ent, comprises 12% (over 17.8 million km 2 ) of the world’s landmass (Rand McNally 1996) and is home to 365 million <strong>in</strong>habitants, 6% of the world’s population (PRB 2004). The region holds 12 countries, a British territory, and an overseas department of France. The cont<strong>in</strong>ent has a varied climate, rang<strong>in</strong>g from the hot tropics of central and northern South <strong>America</strong>, where there are wet summers and dry w<strong>in</strong>ters, to the cool climates of the Andean region and from the arid region of northern Chile and southern coastal Peru to the temperate climes of Patagonia, which receives ra<strong>in</strong> from the Pacific Ocean on its west side, but is dry on the east due to the adiabatic, or “east side” effect (See Map 1a). The distribution of ra<strong>in</strong>fall also varies considerably from region to region and is one of the pr<strong>in</strong>cipal elements affect<strong>in</strong>g the cont<strong>in</strong>ent’s water resources. Chapter 3. Hydropolitical Vulnerability, South <strong>America</strong> — 45
- Page 5:
Copyright © 2007, United Nations E
- Page 8 and 9:
CHAPTER 3. HYDROPOLITICAL VULNERABI
- Page 10 and 11:
MAPS Map 1 (A) Climate regions ....
- Page 13 and 14: PREFACE Wherever a major river, lak
- Page 15 and 16: FOREWORD During the 2002 World Summ
- Page 17 and 18: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project, exem
- Page 19 and 20: CHAPTER 1. HYDROPOLITICAL VULNERABI
- Page 21 and 22: Figure 1.2 International river basi
- Page 23 and 24: a more accurate gauge of hydropolit
- Page 25 and 26: Scientist conducting ecological res
- Page 27 and 28: The great waterfall of Iguazú, on
- Page 29 and 30: Canal of Artibonite River, Haiti. T
- Page 31 and 32: Jaribu storks, Pantanal (Brazil), P
- Page 33 and 34: Ricefield with water buffalo and eg
- Page 35 and 36: CHAPTER 2. HYDROPOLITICAL VULNERABI
- Page 37 and 38: TABLE 2.2 INTERNATIONAL RIVER BASIN
- Page 39 and 40: Haitian people who live in the hill
- Page 41 and 42: Río Goascorán en el puesto fronte
- Page 43 and 44: El lago cerce de Tehscall, El Salva
- Page 45 and 46: Verrettes waterfall, Haiti. Photo c
- Page 47 and 48: Landslide damage in the aftermath o
- Page 49 and 50: The Cimarron project has provoked s
- Page 51 and 52: Damage along Choluteca River in the
- Page 53 and 54: 2.6 GOVERNANCE IN INTERNATIONAL RIV
- Page 55 and 56: TABLE 2.9 CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE W
- Page 57 and 58: Figure 2.2 Lempa River Basin. trans
- Page 59 and 60: Lining up for water in the aftermat
- Page 61: In the aftermath of tropical storm
- Page 65 and 66: Paraná River beach in Empedrado, C
- Page 67 and 68: Boat houses, Amazon. Photo credit:
- Page 69 and 70: Washing clothes, Amazon. Photo cred
- Page 71 and 72: Sawmill on Amazon, photo credit: Gr
- Page 73 and 74: Confluence of Iguazu and Paraná Ri
- Page 75 and 76: Sudden storm sends tourists running
- Page 77 and 78: In the semi-arid “backlands” of
- Page 79 and 80: “Fish sold here, 24 hours.” Fis
- Page 81 and 82: Woman earns income by selling craft
- Page 83 and 84: Public infrastructure project (road
- Page 85 and 86: high population residing within the
- Page 87 and 88: Uruguay River merging into Rio de l
- Page 89 and 90: issues and not in others. The const
- Page 91 and 92: Urubamba River, Peru. Photo credit:
- Page 93 and 94: Seaplane lands near shipping docks,
- Page 95 and 96: Uruguay River seen from Argentina c
- Page 97 and 98: ATLAS OF HYDROPOLITICAL VULNERABILI
- Page 99 and 100: A B Map 2 (A) Groundwater Aquifers.
- Page 101 and 102: SOCIOECONOMIC AND GEOPOLITICAL PARA
- Page 103 and 104: INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY A B Map 6 (A
- Page 105 and 106: A B Map 8 (A) Institutional Capacit
- Page 107 and 108: APPENDICES Appendices — 89
- Page 109 and 110: APPENDIX 1. INTERNATIONAL FRESHWATE
- Page 111 and 112: AMAZON * Total area: 5,866,100 km 2
- Page 113 and 114:
CANDELARIA Total area: 12,800 km 2
- Page 115 and 116:
COATAN ACHUTE Total area: 2000 km 2
- Page 117 and 118:
HONDO Total area 14,600.00 km 2 Are
- Page 119 and 120:
LAKE TITICACA-POOPO SYSTEM Total ar
- Page 121 and 122:
LA PLATA * Total area: 2,954,500 km
- Page 123 and 124:
Comisión Administradora del Río d
- Page 125 and 126:
MARONI * Total area: 65,000 km 2 Ar
- Page 127 and 128:
PEDERNALES Total area: 400 km 2 Are
- Page 129 and 130:
SIXAOLA Total area: 2,900 km 2 Area
- Page 131 and 132:
USUMACINTA- GRIJALVA Total area: 12
- Page 133 and 134:
LA PLATA A short section of the bou
- Page 135 and 136:
Participating countries: Dominican
- Page 137 and 138:
Participating countries: Argentina,
- Page 139 and 140:
Uruguay to implement their shared v
- Page 141 and 142:
Plan Trifinio The Plan Trifinio con
- Page 143 and 144:
Participating countries: Costa Rica
- Page 145 and 146:
USUMACINTA-GRIJALVA Red de Investig
- Page 147 and 148:
LA PLATA Power Plant Dona Francisca
- Page 149 and 150:
REFERENCES Agencia Gráfica del Sur
- Page 151 and 152:
egional Environmental Profile. Inte
- Page 153 and 154:
INDEX OF BASIN NAMES Amazon .......