Conference Agenda
Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).
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Agenda Overview |
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Special Session 1: Asian Perspectives on Transboundary Water Governance in an Era of Climate Risk
Yang Liu, Chenjun Zheng, Barbara Janusz-Pawletta and Mohamad Mova AlAfghani;
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Many Indigenous legal orders (customary laws) acknowledge water as a relation and reflect a reciprocal relationship between all beings based on respect and reciprocity. In contrast to state water laws that treat water as a resource and often property, water relations in Indigenous legal orders set meaningful limits for human behaviour. Legal/policy instruments and processes emerging from Indigenous water laws are creating innovative forms of governance that often involve the entanglement of Indigenous and state water laws and new approaches to long term water sustainability and climate adaptation. The objectives for this special session are to highlight the role of Indigenous legal orders in new legal and governance forms for water sustainability using examples from Canada and Aotearoa New Zealand. Presenting with community partners operationalizing different Indigenous legal orders from around the world, outcomes include exploration of legal pluralism in water governance and management, insight through case studies, and revealing the importance of Indigenous laws to water sustainability. | ||
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Asian Perspectives on Transboundary Water Governance in an Era of Climate Risk Asia is one of the most dynamic and diverse regions in the world, with a range of economics, governments, geographies and environments. A common aspect across the region, however, is the interconnectivity provided by transboundary freshwater resources, including rivers, lakes and groundwaters. Asia is also at significant risk of climate change impacts, including flood, drought, increased severity of typhoons and other related emergency conditions. The mitigation of these impacts on transboundary waters faces significant challenges as institutionalized cooperation is limited, with SDG 6.5.2 reporting indicating that only 2 out of 41 Asian States having 90% of their transboundary watercourses covered by an operational arrangement. In this context, this session seeks to explore the governance of transboundary watercourses under climate change conditions in the Asian region, surveying practice and unique perspectives. The session begins with an introduction by the moderator, surveying the transboundary water resources, climate risks, regional State practice and emerging issues. The session then considers several regional case studies, including China, glacier protection in the Himalayas and Central Asia. The session concludes with an analysis of the interface between transboundary and domestic water law, exploring the water tenure approach and how it operates between international and domestic law to better allocate water resources in times of climate crisis. This session will cover many of the themes of the Congress, but best relates to Theme 1 - Water Law and Governance for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation. All proposed speakers have confirmed that they would attend if the session is successully accepted. Presentations of the Symposium China’s Perspective in Operationalizing the Obligation to Protect Transboundary Waters Under Climate Change Conditions Climate change imposes unprecedented threats on China, a country sharing over 110 transboundary rivers. Drawing on China’s obligations under the UNFCCC, international water law, and other relevant MEAs, this article examines China’s obligations to protect transboundary water ecosystems and the measures through which it operationalizes them in response to climate change. Findings reveal that China adopts a cautious, conservative, yet cooperative approach to transboundary water management in light of climate-induced uncertainties. From Climate Impact to Legal Action: The Integration of Himalayan Glacier Protection within the Framework of International Water Law Glaciers are vital sources of fresh water, but they are also vulnerable to climate change and human activities. If not managed properly, glaciers can be a source of conflict, especially in a transboundary context. International water law regulates the use, sharing, management and protection of transboundary water resources, which should include related glaciers. Despite this, there is limited scholarship on this complex topic. This presentation examines the complex nature of alpine glaciers on transboundary waters in the Himalayas. Known as Asia's "Water Tower", Himalayan glaciers are the source of many transboundary water resources across the region. This presentation seeks to explore the legal governance of these glaciers as it relates to several international legal regimes, including international water law and climate law. Mitigating Climate Change Impacts on Transboundary Waters in Central Asia Cooperation on transboundary water issues in Central Asia is increasing, with, for example, the signing of new agreements in the past few years. Across the region, however, climate change is contributing to glacial melt, threatening water availability in major rivers in the region. This presentation explores the legal pathways and mechanisms through which Central Asian States mitigate and adapt to climate change pressures in the region, including an analysis of relevant treaties, institutions and State practice. Operationalizing International Norms for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation: A Water Tenure Approach in Indonesia In his past work, Dr AlAfghani considered the role that water tenure can play in the implementation of international water law norms on transboundary watercourses. In this piece, he identified how the water tenure approach systematically documents the diverse relationships, offering practical mechanisms for operationalising international norms, supporting their implementation. This presentation expands upon that work, exploring how water tenure can assist in the adaptation and mitigation of water related climate change impacts on transboundary watercourses. Using fieldwork from Indonesia, the author explores how water tenure assessments better assist us in mitigating climate change impacts, arguing for their use as best practice on domestic and transboundary watercourses alike. | ||