Latin America; in English (pdf) - Transboundary Freshwater Dispute ...

La Plata, from Buenos Aires during low tides exposing sedimentary base. Sailboats are a common sight on this river. Photo credit: Rolando León.
consulates in either country. So, how does one
reduce the vulnerability of disputes in a situation
as delicate as that of the Silala? And how does
one confront such issues in larger-scale basins
with more stakeholders and sectors involved?
3.3 MITIGATION OF
INTERNATIONAL WATERS
CONFLICT IN SOUTH AMERICA
Even though hydropolitical vulnerability is found
in all international water basins to a certain
extent, the number of cooperative efforts far
exceeds the number of conflicts that have arisen
from such susceptibility, making cooperation the
rule rather than the exception (Yoffe et al. 2003).
Furthermore, by reducing the amount of risk that
a basin is subject to, more collaborative efforts
will occur, thereby making the institutional
mechanisms for international water resources
management more effective and efficient and
resulting in fewer disputes and improved living
conditions for all.
Most of the international river basins in
South America are still in the nascent stages of
development and management. In the La Plata
and Lake Titicaca basins, however, decades of
experience have produced steady progress
toward more sustainable water management by
decreasing the factors of vulnerability through
stronger governance, economic development,
and international cooperation, even if there is
still a need for fundamental institution building.
3.3.1 La Plata River Basin
Although the La Plata River basin is often overshadowed
by its larger cousin, the Amazon, it is
the fifth largest river basin in the world (Environment
Canada 2004), and has more inhabitants than
any other international basin in South America.
The basin covers parts of Argentina, Bolivia,
Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay (Table 3.3, Figure
3.2). Its tributaries include the Paraná, Paraguay,
and Uruguay Rivers, and it contains the Pantanal,
the largest wetland area of the world.
The countries have been working together
mutually for the joint development and management
of the basin since 1967, when discussions
were held before the signing of the La Plata River
Basin Treaty in 1969 (GEF 2003). An interesting
pattern developed in the early years after the
signing of the 1969 Treaty: most of the early
agreements between the countries were bilateral
rather than multilateral agreements among all
five basin states. This is evident in the development
of hydropower projects in the basin. With such a
66 — Hydropolitical Vulnerability and Resilience along International Waters: Latin America and the Caribbean