ES2GG3E Water and Global Governance

Monday, February 6, 2012

What are water allocation laws?

Laws meant to promote economic development public health recent times: environmental protection Evolved from land ownership to private property right

Differences in laws between regions: humid: sharing arid: priority-based

Ancient Allocation Laws

Code of Hammurabi (Babylonia ca 1750 BCE): the earliest major code of law Sparse precipitation required careful control on water -Code required payment to neighbors of lost crop Justinian code(5th CE) : Roman Empire Riparian doctrine-water belongs to public

PostRenaissance
Spanish Water Law: water diversion requires consent from the Crown local superintendents selected to supervise could even regulate growth of population by allocating water between cities sharing a river

Code Napolon
Riparian water rights extended to the middle of non-navigable streams Navigable streams owned by the public Right to build mills belonged to the riparian landowner could be compensated if water diverted upstream

A major shift in water allocation laws

California Gold Rush: required major water diversions for mineral extraction Doctrine of Prior Appropriation: water can be diverted from a stream for use on non-riparian land water right acquired to divert water for a beneficial use

How is water managed in N.A?

Early settlements: little consideration of impacts on: water supply water quality downstream landowners

Today: Need to protect rights of individuals result of expansion of urban settlements safe drinking water, sanitation, protection from floods

Water Management in Canada

Provinces have most regulatory powers and proprietary rights over: surface waters groundwater Control over: flow regulation water use and development pollution control

Federal-navigation and fisheries

Water Regulation in Canada

Regulation: rules of conduct which a ministry in charge is empowered to make to facilitate the carrying out of an Act of Parliament All provinces and territories in Canada have pollution control regulations largely aimed at contaminants

Water Regulation and the First Nations

Federal government: responsible for managing water in its own "federal house Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) manages water resources in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut

http://www.globalregina.com/video/water+quality+on+can adas+first+nations+reserves/video.html?v=2189391268#vi deo

History of Water Management in Canada (A brief one!)

1867-1945:
evolution of provincial laws from purely property rights Conflicts with US 1945-1965: addressed specific concerns Prairie Rehabilitation Act Surveys of resources Redefinition of provincial vs federal responsibilities

History of Water Management in Canada (A brief one!) (2)

1965-1985:
emphasis on economic development infrastructures-flood control, seaways, dams 1985 now: limits on use in areas depleted in water Simplifying management Addressing environmental concerns

3 stages to the development of water supplies

1st stage: early urban/agricultural development supply is adequate to meet basic needs (drinking, sanitation) Irrigation in dry climates Transportation in humid climates Minimal conflict affordable

3 stages to the development of water supplies

2nd stage: water diversion projects from lakes and rivers use in cities flood control, hydropower generation, irrigation interbasin transfers uneven resources are reallocated

3 stages to the development of water supplies

3rd stage: population growth continues need for additional water
supplies improvements to distribution networks: very expensive government plays a large role in the management of resources environmental concerns become more pronounced

What are the Economics of Water?

Based on the allocation of the resource among different uses

demand: utility to humans, and how they are willing to pay supply: cost of providing it in certain quality, quantity, and location

The Value of Water

Value of water today is determined by: location quantity chemistry, biology, physical, thermal use

Does NOT include:

health recreation impacts on third parties ecological value

Water: private or public good?

Generally viewed as a public good right of use for everyone for basic needs no one should be deprived

As a private good: introduced in the U.S. in the 1800s resource developed, used, traded for financial gain privatization of services
Affordability: with safety and reliability, key issue faced by provider

Fees driven up by: need to rehabilitate infrastructure wastage in countries with sound water system Management of low supplies No competition Pollution management Assigning value: water market: sale or lease of water rights water banking: water rights are defined under a set of rules

Water: private or public good? (2)

Water Privatization in Hamilton

In 1995, City created international water company to manage its own and others water Turned over management of treatment plant to local company Within a year, a major sewage spill-182 million litres into Harbour Within 6 years, several more spills, pollution fines unpaid, rising water rates Company finally imploded when fraud allegations were raised; went through many changes Water became public again in 2004

Water and Poverty

Relationship between water poverty and economic poverty Most vulnerable to changes in climate and world economic crises Often victims of improvement schemes (public and private) Does China have it right?

What are the geopolitics of water?

Potential water conflicts caused by scarcity differences in goals and objectives social and historical factors population increase inadequate drinking water supplies pollution of existing supplies

Water Resources in the Middle East

Water use management: an extremely contentious issue 1) Current political borders disregard hydrologic boundaries 2) Freshwater resources are very unevenly distributed 3) A resource under stress: Total water use in the region has increased nearly 100% in the last 100 years What will happen after regimes topple?

 Boundaries in Middle East defined by straight lines after WW I Tigres and Euphrates: major hydrologic systems in region Water development in Turkey has created shortages in Iraq and Syria Development aided by Western countries with own agendas