Practical approaches to transboundary water benefit sharing
This paper considers practical mechanisms for moving towards an operationalisation of benefit sharing in transboundary water management. The focus is on steps for putting the concept into practice using lessons learned from existing cooperative efforts. In addition to case studies, the paper draws on literature from a wide array of disciplines, including economics, international relations, and political science. Mechanisms discussed include quantifying the benefits and costs of optimal water management, taking care to address equity concerns, and recognising the link between volumetric water allocations and benefit sharing. Examples show that a process-oriented approach is the most feasible, that dividing the river basin into subunits is useful in arriving at initial agreement, and that the role of third parties has been instrumental in promoting sharing arrangements.