Uso compartilhado de bacias hidrográficas transnacionais : a promoção de arranjos cooperativos como forma de mitigar a possibilidade de conflitos entre Estados

Abstract

Access to water and its availability are being negatively affected by population growth, increased food production, industrial development, and pollution. Extreme weather events have the potential to further intensify pressures on water resources. As a result, shared water resources are gaining increasing importance in international relations. Given the large number of shared basins on the planet, the growing demands on water resources, and the more frequent occurrence of extreme weather events, this research sought to identify elements that can promote integrated and collaborative management of transboundary river basins, aiming to reduce the possibility of disputes and conflicts among riparian states. To achieve the established purpose, a case study was conducted on the crisis involving Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan since 2011, related to the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Additionally, factors that led to the transformation of a longstanding hydro-political dispute in the La Plata Basin in the 1960s and 1970s toward cooperation for shared energy utilization of the Paraná River by Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay were examined. The research identified that an essential factor for integrated and collaborative management of transboundary river basins is the development of comprehensive and inclusive water agreements that encompass all riparian states and the various uses of water, along with information exchange and effective mechanisms for dispute resolution among the states. As for the legal aspects found that can contribute to the promotion of this integrated management, the principles of equitable and reasonable utilization, as well as the principle of not causing significant harm to other states, stand out, adopted by the United Nations Convention on the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses. Other principles of international law are also applicable, such as the right to self-determination, the right to water, and principles of environmental law, particularly the need for conducting environmental impact assessments. The research also identified opportunities for the Brazilian Navy to expand its role in the La Plata Basin through technical cooperation activities with neighboring states, aimed at enhancing the safety conditions of waterborne transportation in the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway. Additionally, possibilities were observed for the institution to enhance its participation in efforts aimed at suppressing transnational illicit activities occurring in the region of the Triple Frontier between Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina