Transboundary Freshwater Ecosystems in International Law The Role and Impact of the UNECE Environmental Regime

A global water crisis with far-reaching and interconnected environmental, social, health and economic impacts threatens the world. Healthy ecosystems and ecosystem services are degrading, and access to a sustainable water supply is increasingly inequitable both within and between States. This book demonstrates how to overcome the global freshwater ecosystem crisis by matching the scientific recommendations with an international legal framework fit for the task, which re-orientates international water law towards a stronger ecosystem approach that also protects vulnerable societies. It illustrates how to understand the fragmented legally binding and non-binding instruments of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe environmental treaties as one coherent legal regime, which contributes to strengthening general rules and principles of the law concerning transboundary freshwater ecosystems. With the recent global opening of the UNECE regime, this book explores its potential role within the European region, Central Asia, Caucasus, Africa, the Middle East and beyond.

1. The role of international law in addressing the global freshwater ecosystem crisis; 2. Conceptualising the UNECE water and environmental regime – establishing the basis for coherent interpretation and institutional interaction; 3. Contemporary status of international law on transboundary freshwater ecosystems; 4. The common normative framework of the UNECE environmental regime and its contribution to international water law; 5. An ecosystem approach in international law concerning transboundary freshwater ecosystem; 6. Public participation – its contribution to procedural justice and intra-generational equity in a water scarce future; 7. River basin organisations, basin agreements and European environmental law in the UNECE regime; 8. Transboundary freshwater ecosystems in international law: The role, impact and future of the UNECE environmental regime.

Ruby Moynihan is an Irish Research Council Fellow at the School of Law, University College Cork, Ireland and Adjunct Lecturer/Senior Research Fellow at the New Zealand Centre for Public Law, Victoria University of Wellington. She is also an Enrolled Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand. Her work has contributed to high-level projects for the United Nations and other international organisations.