Skip to main content Skip to page footer
elni logo elni logo

A Water Scarcity Treaty for the Future

Marga Robesin

elni Review 2024, pp. 1-3. https://doi.org/10.46850/elni.2024.001

Water scarcity is an increasing global problem, but an international agreement on this issue does not exist. The UN Summit of the Future in September 2024 focuses on achieving existing international goals. The Water Convention and the Watercourses Convention however do not provide sufficient legal basis for mitigating global water scarcity. 
Since international trade is an important cause, water footprint experts suggest measures from a geographic, a production and a consumption perspective. Obligations to set maximum water footprint caps on river basin level and to formulate international reference values for water efficiency (geographical and production measures) can be inserted in the existing conventions. A consumption-oriented target does not fit in their scope. A separate Water Scarcity Treaty, introducing a reduction target of the global average water footprint per capita per year, is needed. The next UN Water Conferences, in 2026 and 2028, offer new opportunities for proposals towards such a treaty.

Access full article

References

  1. Bennich, T., Persson, Å., Beaussart, R. et al. (2023). Recurring patterns of SDG interlinkages and how they can advance the 2030 Agenda. One Earth 6, November 17, 1465 – 1476. DOI:    doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2023.10.008.
  2. Di Ponte, S., Ciuffo, B., Giovine, E. et al. (2013). Environmental impacts of global supply chain – A review of scientific, policy and legal components for including environmental and climate challenges within the international trade patterns. Ed. by Institute for Environment and Sustainability (Joint Research Center). Luxembourg. Accessible here (23.3.2024). 
  3. European Commission (2023). Annex. Guidelines on the applicability of Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to horizontal co-operation agreements. C(2023) 3445 final. Brussels. Accessible here (23.3.2024).
  4. Hoekstra, A. Y. (2020). The Water Footprint of Modern Consumer Society. Second edition, Routledge.
  5. Hogeboom, R.J. et al. (2020). Capping human waterfootprints in the world’s river basins. Earth’s Future, 8. DOI:    www.doi.org/10.1029/2019EF001363. 
  6. Ligtvoet W. et al. (2023). The Geography of Future Water Challenges – Bending the Trend. Policy Summary in the context of the UN 2023 Water Conference. The Hague: PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, report 5251. Accessible here (23.3.2024). 
  7. Mekonnen, M. & Hoekstra, A. (2016). Sustainability: four billion people facing severe water scarcity. Sci. Adv. 2, 1–7. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1500323.
  8. PBL/Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency report (2014). Sustainability of international Dutch supply chains: Progress, effects and perspectives. Accessible here (Dutch), English summary (both 23.3.2024). 
  9. Rockström, J., Gupta, J., Qin, D. et al. (2023). Safe and just Earth system boundaries. Nature 619, 102–111. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06083-8.
  10. UNFCCC (2022). What is the Triple Planetary Crisis? Accessible here (23.3.2024).
  11. United Nations (2023a). The Sustainable Development Goals Report. Special edition. New York. Accessible here (23.3.2024). 
  12. United Nations (2023b) Blueprint for Acceleration: Sustainable Development Goal 6 Synthesis Report on Water and Sanitation. New York. Accessible here(23.3.2024).
  13. VMR/Vereniging voor Milieurecht (2024). Duurzame handelsketens en het recht: een decennium later (Dutch, with summaries in English). Den Haag. Accessible here (23.3.2024).
  14. Wang, M., Bodirsky, B.L., Rijneveld, R. et al. (2024). A triple increase in global river basins with water scarcity due to future pollution. Nat Commun 15, 880. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-44947-3