Global water governance

Although (fresh) water challenges are primarily local in nature, globalization has led to feedback effects that make many water challenges global in nature. This chapter examines global water governance. It discusses four phases of water governance, argues that water governance is dispersed and incoherent; that the policy process has promoted the notion of integrated water resource management, water as an economic good and the need to prioritize human water needs; while the legal process has articulated other principles on sovereignty, equitable sharing, and no-harm, as well as rules on groundwater and the human right to water and sanitation. Other international treaties (trade, investment, and environment) also influence water. This chapter argues that whether transboundary water issues are likely to lead to war or not, they lead to stress and this is a serious reason for accelerating the governance process on hydrosolidarity.