Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law & GovernanceAreas of expertise

Freshwater Resources

We explore challenges and opportunities linked to the development, implementation and enforcement of international water law as that law applies to both surface water and groundwater. We are experts on the multiple legal frameworks applicable to transboundary surface water, including the United Nations Watercourses Convention and the UNECE Water Convention, as well as international legal guidance regarding transboundary groundwater, such as the UNILC Draft Articles on the Law of Transboundary Aquifers and the UNECE Model Provisions on Transboundary Groundwaters. We have worked on transboundary water basins and transboundary aquifers in Eastern and Southern Africa and in Central and Latin America. In particular, we focus  on the following areas:

  • Governance of fossil aquifers, including offshore aquifers
  • Law, policy and conflict resolution for transboundary aquifers
  • International water law and international development
  • Water justice
  • Relationship between transboundary water law and the law of the sea

We collaborate with a number of international partners:

  • UNESCO-IHP
  • FAO
  • IWRA

We provide legal advice on international water law and related matters to various entities, including governments before international courts. We have contributed to international development projects, providing capacity-building programmes to a wide range of water stakeholders from different disciplines and backgrounds.

Freshwater publications

Freshwater related projects

Freshwater related consultancies