1.3.2. Les caractéristiques des conflits d’utilisation

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En provenance du cours de University of Geneva

Droit International de l'Eau Douce

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University of Geneva

Droit International de l'Eau Douce

19 notes

Au cours des dernières décennies, le droit international a connu des développements majeurs afin de tenir compte des multiples facettes que revêt la gestion et la protection des eaux douces. L’adoption d’instruments universels, régionaux et de bassins souligne l’importance d’étudier l’évolution de la réglementation internationale relative à l’eau et d’identifier les grands principes en ce domaine. Aussi, ce cours vise à offrir les bases nécessaires pour appréhender et examiner la régulation qui s’applique eaux douces transfrontières notamment aux fleuves, aux lacs et aux aquifères. Il présente les principes et les normes juridiques qui régissent l’utilisation, le partage, la gestion et la protection de ces ressources. Le MOOC est composé de 5 modules pouvant être visualisés dans un ordre quelconque, car abordant chacun un thème différent. Cependant, l’ordre des modules suit une certaine logique pédagogique et facilite la compréhension du MOOC pour des personnes ne connaissant pas le sujet. Chaque module s’accompagne d’un questionnaire d’évaluation/quiz. Le MOOC suivra un parcours unique donnant droit à un certificat pour les apprenants ayant obtenu une moyenne supérieure à 80% aux quiz. A la fin du cours, l’apprenant sera à même entre autres : 1) de décrire les enjeux liés à la régulation des eaux douces transfrontières ; 2) d’expliquer l’évolution de la réglementation internationale relative aux eaux douces transfrontières ; 3) de rappeler et d’interpréter les principes et les règles qui régissent la régulation des ressources en eau ; 4) de comprendre le rôle des mécanismes de règlement des différends liés aux eaux douces transfrontières dans le développement du droit international de l’eau douce (ou de comprendre le rôle des cours et tribunaux internationaux dans la résolution des conflits sur l’eau douce) Ce MOOC a été développé par la Plateforme pour le droit international de l’eau douce qui fait partie du Pôle Eau de Genève. Il a été accompagné par la Cellule MOOC de l’Université de Genève. A côté des chercheurs et des enseignants de la Plateforme, plusieurs experts internationaux ont également participé. Ce MOOC fait partie des trois cours soutenu par le Pôle Eau Genève et l’Université de Genève en compagnie des MOOCs en « Gestion et politique de l’eau » (www.coursera.org/learn/gestioneau) et en « Services écosystémiques : une méthode pour le développement durable » (www.coursera.org/learn/ecosystem-services). Ce cours est financé par le Programme Global Eau de la Direction du développement et de la coopération suisse (DDC).

À partir de la leçon

Module 1: Introduction au droit international de l'eau douce

Avec environ deux soixante-seize (276) cours d'eau et lacs, et un grand nombre d’eaux souterraines partagées par deux ou plusieurs États, l’intérêt et l’importance du droit international en ce domaine deviennent de plus en plus cruciaux. Ce module introductif vise à souligner en quoi la règlementation internationale constitue un outil fondamental pour assurer une gestion harmonieuse et pacifique de ces ressources indispensables à la vie humaine. Il présente les différents enjeux et défis liés à la gestion et la protection des ressources en eau. L’accent est mis sur les facteurs pouvant favoriser les conflits mais il est également démontré comment l’eau peut constituer un instrument de paix et de coopération entre les États. Nous nous intéressons dans cette perspective aux bénéfices que les États peuvent tirer de la coopération sur les eaux douces transfrontières.Des séquences sont aussi consacrées à l’analyse des différentes utilisations liées à la ressource en eau et des rapports qui existent entre elles. Un quiz clôturera ce module et équivaudra à 15% de la note finale. Pour le réussir, vous devez avoir au moins 80% de réponses correctes.

1.3.1. La pluralité des utilisations des ressources en eau douces transfrontières7:56

1.3.2. Les caractéristiques des conflits d’utilisation10:18

1.3.3. Cas pratique : conflit d’utilisation sur le fleuve Uruguay (Argentine/Uruguay)11:24

Rencontrer les enseignants

Laurence Boisson de Chazournes
Professor
Department of Public International Law and International Organization, Faculty of Law
Makane Moïse Mbengue
Professor
Faculty of Law and Institute of Environmental Sciences
Mara Tignino
Reader
Department of Public International Law and International Organization, Faculty of Law
Komlan Sangbana
Associate Researcher
Faculty of Law and Institute of Environmental Sciences

[MUSIC] [MUSIC]

[MUSIC] One of the challenges of

international water regulation is to ensure that

water resources are shared in such a way as to promote the beneficial use

of waters to all States bordering an international watercourse.

Of course, whenever we talk about sharing, we talk about the risk of conflict over use.

States bordering an international river or

those that use it, do not always have the same ambitions,

the same objectives, in terms of use.

When we discuss the characteristics of these conflicts,

a distinction is made between horizontal conflicts of use

and vertical conflicts of use.

We can identify three horizontal conflicts of use.

First, there is a conflict between uses.

Often, on the same international watercourse,

there are different kinds of uses.

For example, hydroelectricity

fishing,

navigation or agriculture

and there may be conflict between these uses.

One of the biggest examples of this type of horizontal conflict

is seen in the case of Lake Lanoux,

a case that dates from the late 1950s when France

and Spain were in conflict over the use of Lake Lanoux.

France wanted to divert the water for the production of hydroelectric energy

and Spain opposed this because

they believed that the waters of Lake Lanoux

should be used for irrigation.

This is the first example of a horizontal conflict of use.

When we talk about a horizontal conflict of use, we need to look at the actors.

There can be conflict between States

such as States alongside an international river or

member States of the same river basin organization that may not agree

on how the international watercourse should be used.

A very good example of this is the Senegal River, shared between

Mali, Senegal, Mauritania and Guinea Conakry.

Several years ago, Guinea Conakry was not yet

a member of the river basin organization that manages the Senegal River

known as the OMVS, the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River.

Senegal wanted to irrigate the fossil valleys.

These are deserted valleys within Senegal,

and Senegal wanted to unilaterally use

the waters of the Senegal River to irrigate these fossil valleys.

And, of course, the two other member States of the Organization

for the Development of the Senegal River, Mauritania and Mali, opposed

the use of the river for irrigation purposes, especially unilaterally.

But this is a horizontal conflict - a conflict between

riparian States or States that are members of the same river basin organization.

But another type of horizontal conflict that exists between actors

is the conflict that occurs between users.

We tend to forget that international watercourses,

international rivers, are used by

people, actors other than States.

And these actors can also find themselves in conflict

over the use of the shared water resource,

and sometimes these conflicts have disastrous consequences.

The conflict that took place in the 1990s,

in the early 1990s between Senegal and Mauritania,

over the Senegal River, a conflict

caused by the use rivalry between livestock breeders and agricultural farmers along the river.

Talking about horizontal conflicts means that we have to consider

conflict between users.

And one of the objectives of international water law is to

prevent and resolve these conflicts between users by better

enabling users to participate in water management.

As I said earlier, alongside horizontal conflicts,

there is also a category of

water use conflicts that could be described as vertical conflicts.

In this category, one must first identify the conflicts between the

current use of an international watercourse and the future use

of an international watercourse.

Within customary international law, in principle,

there is no hierarchy of uses.

I think that's a very important aspect to keep in mind.

There is no hierarchy between present uses. There is no

hierarchy between present and future uses.

However, in practice, States

sometimes claim a hierarchy and this can lead to conflict.

To illustrate this, there is the example of the Nile.

There are two downstream States, Sudan and Egypt, and they believe that

their present uses, their current uses

take precedence over future uses that may be

considered by other States bordering the Nile.

This, of course, generates a lot of tension in the management of the Nile.

A second category of vertical use conflicts,

is the conflicts that could emerge between the

uses of States, the uses envisaged by States and the

uses envisaged by the actual users.

Again, this is not the most frequent type of conflict

because today the management of shared water resources

is characterised by an interstate dimension.

So these are not the most frequent conflicts, but they

can still occur especially when talking

about water use by indigenous peoples,

indigenous communities whose

ancestral or cultural practices are linked to water,

and who might object to a project proposed by a State

on an international watercourse, such as a major dam project,

that endangers the ancestral practices of these communities.

So here, conflicts of use also exist

but when a State is against a user or against

a local community, these are known as vertical conflicts.

So these are the main types of

use conflicts found in practice.

In conclusion, there is even a third

category to consider - the diagonal conflict of use.

Why?

Because in this, the conflict is not over the actual

use of the water resource itself.

A recent example of this is when Costa Rica wanted to

build a road along the San Juan River

which was opposed by Nicaragua who considered

that the construction of this road would impact

the river and its uses.

As the river was not directly concerned,

the conflict here did not relate to use, as such.

However, building a road alongside the river is a diagonal use

that can lead to conflicts around and at the periphery of the river.

So when we think of conflicts over how

water resources are used today, we must also have a systemic vision,

an ecosystemic vision.

It is not only the resource of water that can lead to

conflict, but also the environment that makes up this

resource: soils, forests, land, air.

And this type of conflict can be related to the environment of the

shared water resource. This was the case

in Costa Rica when they wanted to build a road along the

San Juan River. This could be qualified as a

conflict of water use

because the construction could impact how the

water resource is used, however, here, we would rather talk about diagonal conflict.

[MUSIC]

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