Query Result Set
Skip Navigation Links
   ActiveUsers:596Hits:20304244Skip Navigation Links
Show My Basket
Contact Us
IDSA Web Site
Ask Us
Today's News
HelpExpand Help
Advanced search

  Hide Options
Sort Order Items / Page
KURUKULASURIYA, PRADEEP (1) answer(s).
 
SrlItem
1
ID:   106935


Scarcity and cooperation along international rivers: an empirical assessment of bilateral treaties / Dinar, Shlomi; Dinar, Ariel; Kurukulasuriya, Pradeep   Journal Article
Dinar, Shlomi Journal Article
0 Rating(s) & 0 Review(s)
Publication 2011.
Summary/Abstract Water scarcity is popularly associated with inter-state conflict, yet the academic literature also touts scarcity as an important variable for understanding cooperation over international freshwater. Building on studies that consider the relationship between scarcity and hydro-political cooperation, this paper empirically investigates why water treaties are negotiated for some rivers and between some riparians, and not others. Rather than considering a linear relationship between scarcity and cooperation, this study hypothesizes a curvilinear relationship expecting agreements to emerge in situations where scarcity is moderate rather than very low or high. Additional variables considered for understanding treaty formation include level of governance among the riparian states, prevailing power dynamics along the river, overall inter-riparian relations (measured by trade, diplomatic ties, and militarized disputes), and the geographical configuration of the entire river. The hypothesized curvilinear relationship between water scarcity and cooperation finds significant support in the empirical analyses. Governance, diplomatic relations, and trade are likewise found to be salient in explaining the levels of cooperation. The geographical configuration of the river was significant in only part of the estimates, and the militarized disputes variable was found to be insignificant across all models. Finally, while results confirm that cooperation may not depend on power asymmetries within riparian dyads, as suggested by some theories, the paper does find support for the contention that more developed states are in a position to provide incentives, such as financial transfers, to less-developed states so as to facilitate an international agreement.
Key Words Water Treaty  Rivers  Bilateral Treaties  Scarcity  International River 
        Export Export