An Inter-disciplinary Roundtable on Fair and Equitable Benefit-sharing and Water Law

Tuesday 24th April, 09:00 - 13:00. CL202, Collins Building, University of Strathclyde

Description

The BeneLex project will host an informal inter-disciplinary roundtable on fair and equitable benefit-sharing in water law. A growing number of international legal materials refer to ‘benefit-sharing’ with regard to water. This trend has been attributed to the discourse on ecosystem services – the multiple ways in which ecosystems contribute to human well-being. Questions remains as to the value added of benefit sharing in the international law on transboundary watercourses in comparison to the general principle of equitable and reasonable utilization: does benefit-sharing help focus cooperation also on non-water-related benefits (economic, socio-cultural, and broader environmental benefits) arising from the enhanced stewardship of a shared watercourse? Other questions concern the degree of cross-fertilization between international watercourses law and international biodiversity law on benefit-sharing, as well as international human rights, notably in connection with the human rights of indigenous peoples and the human right to water.

9.00: Welcome by Francesco Sindico, SCELG Director

9.10-9.40: "Balancing the discussion of benefit sharing in transboundary water governance: Stressing the long-term costs in an empirical example from Central Asia" by Ilkhom Soliev (Martin-Luther-Universitat)

9.40-10.00: Q&A

10.00-10.30: "Initial reflections on fair and equitable benefit-sharing and international watercourses law" by Elisa Morgera (SCELG, BENELEX project)

10.30-11.00: Q&A

11.00-11.30: Coffee Break

11.30-12.15: Reactions to the papers from Prof Gabriel Eckstein (Texas A&M University), Dr Leonard O. Akwany (Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat) and Prof Bob Kalin (Strathclyde University, Engineering)

12.15-1.00: Open discussion