Alternative sources of freshwater provided by innovations, have long been available to countries facing water stress. Avoiding and/or resolving conflict with neighbors—caused by the uncertainty of continued access to shared surface water and groundwater sources—can be a driver of innovation adoption, and adoption of such innovations may help alleviate transboundary disputes while hastening water supply independence among neighbors.
In this Science Talk, Professor Feldman examines the experience of Israel and Singapore, two countries that have pursued several innovations including desalination, wastewater reuse, and rainwater harvesting and which have conflicts over water with neighbors. We examine the role supply innovations have played in transboundary disputes and find that they have had an important but far from decisive role in helping to alleviate conflicts, even when explicitly part of negotiations aimed at long-term dispute resolution. The extent to which innovations can actually help resolve transboundary conflicts depends on parties' confidence in larger transboundary agreements, an inclination to share water data and information, and a willingness to collaborate on water projects of mutual benefit. Water innovations alone will not alleviate transboundary conflicts.
Speaker
Prof. David L. Feldman
Adjunct Professor, Transboundary Water Cooperation and Policy
