Hydropolitical Vulnerability and Resilience along International Waters: Africa (2005)
Africa is unique among the developing world-regions in that all major rivers and freshwater lakes and aquifers on the continent are shared by two or more countries, and each country in the continent shares one or more freshwater bodies with its neighbours, sometimes hostile neighbours. The diversity of political, social, and economic structures and organizations among the African countries, and the highly varied spatial and temporal precipitation and distribution of water in the continent, make the hydropolitical climate in Africa very complex and vulnerable. (Klaus Toepfer, United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme)
Hydropolitical Vulnerability and Resilience along International Waters: Asia (2009)
This report focuses on the challenges and opportunities facing Asia —a continent with intensively utilized groundwater and surface water resources. The transboundary basins show signs of resilience, but also of vulnerability. In most instances it is politics and the lack of institutional agreements that play a major role in causing these vulnerabilities. At the regional and sub-regional level, there are entities, often supported by the international community, working to develop, manage, and share the multiple-use potential of shared water resources. (Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary General Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme)
Hydropolitical Vulnerability and Resilience along International Waters: Europe (2009)
This report focuses on the challenges and the opportunities facing Europe a continent that enjoys relatively abundant water resources However, while European citizens only utilize around 20% of the available water supply, water is distributed unevenly across the Continent and there is a wide range in the average runoff across European basins. Meanwhile, several basins in Central Europe, from the Seine to the Dnieper, are showing lower runoff values, which may lead to rising water stress as populations climb.(Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary General Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme)
Hydropolitical Vulnerability and Resilience along International Waters: Latin America
(English and Spanish) (2007)
With only 15 percent of the world s total landmass, Latin America and the Caribbean enjoy the distinction of being the region with the greatest availability of freshwater resources. However, the sustainable management of this rich resource is complicated by several factors. Firstly, the distribution of the region s fresh water is highly heterogeneous. Then there are the skyrocketing demands imposed by a rapidly growing population of over 560 million inhabitants. Third, agricultural activities account for nearly three-quarters of all the water used in the region. (Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary General Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme)
Hydropolitical Vulnerability and Resilience along International Waters: North America (2009)
This report focuses on the challenges and opportunities facing North America, a continent with about 6.5% of its area covered by surface freshwater. The rivers and basins are subject to interstate and international agreements that ensure that all basin countries get some portion of the water and that the rivers remain navigable for commerce. (Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary General Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme)