Fresh Water in International Law

Second Edition

Laurence Boisson de Chazournes

Provides an authoritative and comprehensive analysis of the legal regime governing the status of fresh water under international law
Discusses the treaties which apply to international watercourses, as well as the relevance of other bodies of law to the regulation of fresh water, including international human rights law, humanitarian law, and economic law
Focuses on how the legal regime of fresh water impacts on the rights and needs of human beings, and on the role of states in facilitating those needs

New to this Edition:

Assesses the relationship between the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 6, with the right to water and sanitation.
Explores the contribution of an increasing number of water-related cases brought before courts and tribunals to the law applicable to fresh water
Takes into account the entry into force of the UN Convention on the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses in 2014

Fresh Water in International Law

Second Edition

Laurence Boisson de Chazournes

Description

This book addresses the diverse ways in which international law governs the uses, management, and protection of fresh water. The regulation of fresh water has primarily developed through the conclusion of treaties concerning international watercourses, yet a number of other legal regimes also apply to the governance of fresh water. In particular, there has been an increasing recognition of the importance of fresh water to environmental protection. The development of international human rights law and international humanitarian law has also proven crucial for ensuring the sound and equitable management of this resource. In addition, the economic uses of fresh water feature prominently in the law applicable to watercourses, while water itself has become an important element of the trade and investment regimes. These bodies of rules and principles not only surface in an array of dispute settlement mechanisms, but also stimulate wider trends of institutionalization.

Since the publication of the first edition of this volume in 2013, water has continued to be at the forefront of the international agenda, and the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals constitutes a milestone around which various public and private initiatives have been launched. This book presents and appraises these important developments as part of its comprehensive analysis of the origin and scope of the various areas of international law as they apply to fresh water. It demonstrates how these areas connect and adapt to one another, forming an integrated body of international principles.

Fresh Water in International Law

Second Edition

Laurence Boisson de Chazournes

1. Introduction: Fresh Water and its Features
2. Regulation of Fresh Water Uses: Evolution, Scope, and Developments
3. Economization of the Law Applicable to Fresh Water
4. Environmentalization of the Law Applicable to Fresh Water
5. Humanization of the Law Applicable to Fresh Water
6. Institutionalization Trends in Fresh Water Governance
7. Dispute Settlement and Fresh Water: Trends, Means, and Practice
8. Looking Ahead: Trends and Prospects

Fresh Water in International Law

Second Edition

Laurence Boisson de Chazournes

Author Information

Laurence Boisson de Chazournes is Professor of International Law at the University of Geneva. She is an adviser to various international organizations, governments, and non-state entities, and has held international assignments as counsel, expert, and arbitrator before the International Court of Justice and other judicial fora.