Water Resource Conflicts and International Security: A Global Perspective is an edited collection by Dhirendra K. Vajpeyi which analyzes the increasing global demand for water in economic and social development, and the dire need to efficiently manage this vital natural resource, particularly in water-scarce countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Several environmental- and human-induced factors, such as urbanization, industrialization, climate change, and agricultural needs, have created a near-crisis situation in many countries. Subsequently, there is an increasingly intense competition to utilize available water resources in these most heavily-affected regions; transboundary rivers, lakes, and streams which are shared by more than one country pose potential for political conflict, armed conflict, and, in the best of cases, cooperation. The contributors of Water Resource Conflicts and International Security present ten case studies in seven chapters, highlighting the competition between countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. In his conclusion, Dhirendra K. Vajpeyi suggests several policy measures that governments may implement in order to minimize the potential for conflict.

Natural resource and environmental conflicts have long been issues confronting human societies. This case-based examination of a wide range of natural resource disputes exposes readers to many contemporary examples that offer reasons for both hope and concern. The Rwandan genocide, the Sudanese civil war, and perpetual instability in the Middle East and Africa: each of these crises have arguably been instigated and maintained by natural resource disputes. China has undertaken a Herculean task to plant hundreds of millions of trees along its margins in an effort to save Beijing from crippling dust storms and halt the expansion of the Gobi desert. Will it work, and is it worth it? These and many other cases of conflict stemming from natural resource or environmental concerns are explained and debated in this up-to-date examination of contemporary and ongoing topics. The book examines conflicts over precious resources and minerals, such as diamonds, oil, water, and fisheries, as well as the pursuit of lesser-known minerals like Coltan and other "rare earth elements"—important resources in our technological age—in remote locations such as Greenland and the Congo. Each topic contains an overview and two position essays from different authors, thereby providing the reader with highly informative and balanced perspectives. Reference entries accompany each topic as well, helping students to better understand each issue. As the world hurtles into the 21st century, these natural resource issues are becoming increasingly important, with all global citizens having a significant stake in how these conflicts arise and play out.

This volume describes various scenarios of conflict and cooperation over water resources among stakeholders in a variety of settings. It discusses treaty making over international rivers, bilateral cooperation on river development between South Africa and Lesotho, the political economy of water supply in the Pacific Island region, the establishment of the Mekong River Commission in Southeast Asia, comparative river basin management in the United States and South Korea, and the International Joint Commission formed by Canada and the United States to resolve boundary water conflicts. The book also explores national domestic conflicts over water resources in Bangladesh and China, Cold War hydropolitics in Southern Africa, water management conflicts in the Niger River Basin of West Africa, and water as commodity and source of conflict in Australia.

This important collection reprints the most significant papers and case studies on the prevention and resolution of conflict over water resources. It focuses in particular on the human dynamics that are involved when conflicts over water resources impact on different interest groups, economic sectors and legal or political boundaries. It addresses key issues which arise at both the local and the international level, including amongst others: How do people interact in these situations of conflict? What methods do they use to find a compromise? What institutions do they create - either jointly or unilaterally - to help overcome problems in the future? This interdisciplinary collection will be essential reading for professional water practitioners throughout the world, including engineers, economists, geographers, geologists, and political scientists concerned with water disputes and conflict resolution. It will make a significant contribution to the study of water as an essential theme in the increasingly important topic of environmental security.

The Canadian Council on International Law was founded in 1972, with the aim of encouraging the study and analysis of international law issues in Canada. One of the Council's main activities is the organization of an annual conference dealing with contemporary subjects in international law. This book marks the 25th anniversary of the Council by bringing together 25 papers on international law, carefully selected from the proceedings of the annual conferences in the years since its foundation. The collection provides an overview of the issues considered by the Council in its first 25 years and highlights the significant contribution of Canadian experts to, and Canada's particular concerns in, the field of international law. The essays represent the work of leading international lawyers on issues concerning the theory and practise of public international law, including environmental law, human rights, the law of armed conflict and the issue of state succession. Le Conseil canadien de droit international a été créé en 1972, dans le but de favoriser l'étude et l'approfondissement de questions de droit international au Canada. Une des principales activitiés du Conseil est l'organisation d'un congrès annuel consacré à des sujets d'actualité en droit international. Cet ouvrage marque le 25e anniversaire du Conseil et regroupe 25 textes de droit international, choisis avec soin parmi les travaux des congrès annuels organisés depuis sa fondation. La collection illustre les thèmes qui ont fait l'objet d'étude par le Conseil durant ses 25 premières années d'existence et souligne l'importante contribution des spécialistes canadiens dans les domaines du droit international qui sont d'un intérêt particulier au Canada. Ces articles représentent la réflexion d'internationalistes de renom sur des sujets se rapportant à la théorie et à la pratique du droit international, y compris le droit de l'environnement, les droits de la personne, le droit relatif à la force armée et la question de la sécession d'États.