The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the sixth of which is "Clean Water and Sanitation", namely: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.  (Click here for details)

Under this major goal, there are eight targets, the fifth of which is "By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate".

● Current Situation

About the World

Integrated Water Resources Management

There are 276 transboundary rivers and lakes in the world, accounting for 60% of the world's freshwater resources and affecting the sustainable development of 148 countries with more than 90% of the world's population. 

Photo source: sina.com

With the aggravation of the global water crisis, transboundary water has attracted more and more attention from the international community.  Transboundary river is not only a convenient trade and transportation channel for the basin countries, but also the necessary freshwater resource for the survival and development of the residents in the basin. The unilateral action of any country will arouse the attention of the basin countries. Therefore, it is important to strengthen the cooperation and management of cross-border rivers for the sustainable development of global economy and social stability.

Text source: gwp.org

About China

Transboundary Rivers Promoting Friendship between Neighboring Countries

China is one of the countries with the largest number of transboundary rivers in the world. In the past two decades, cooperation in the field of transboundary water has developed rapidly. 

Photo source: news.qq.com

China has established various forms of cooperation and mechanisms with 12 neighboring countries, and has carried out a lot of fruitful results in the fields of hydrological flood reporting, flood control and emergency response, water resources development, utilization and protection. It has made an important contribution to promoting the common development and stability of the region, and has been highly praised and fully affirmed by the neighboring countries. The transboundary rivers have become a bridge and link of friendship between China and its neighboring countries.

Text source: China Environment News

●  Cases

About the World

The United States and Canada Cooperated in Columbia River

The Columbia River originates from the Columbia lake on the west slope of the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, Canada, and flows into the Pacific Ocean in Oregon, USA. Canada is located in the upper reaches, while the United States is located in the middle and lower reaches. Most of the river are located in the United States.

Photo source: baidu.com

The two governments signed the Treaty on Cooperative development of Water Resources, which stipulates that Canada should build three reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Columbia River to regulate the runoff and meet the flood control requirements in the United States. The United States promised to pay Canada $64 million to reduce flood losses in one time by way of advance payment. At the same time, Canada shares 50% of the increased power generation benefits of the downstream power stations of the United States due to the regulation of the upstream reservoir in the increased power generation benefits that Canada should share in the first 30 years for the construction of the reservoir. The United States and Canada use the principle of benefit sharing and benefit compensation to consider and share the various benefits that the upstream development and utilization may bring to the downstream countries, which is conducive to the comprehensive development and utilization and sustainable management of cross-border rivers.

Text source: aoc.ouc.edu.cn

Multilateral Water Cooperation in the Middle East

The water sources in the Middle East mainly come from the Nile, Jordan River and other international rivers, which often flow through several or even more than ten countries. The transboundary nature of water resources in the Middle East makes the countries in the big river basin have to face the problems of transboundary utilization and management of water resources. 

Photo source: 163.com

There are two main forms of multilateral water cooperation in Middle East countries: intra basin cooperation and inter basin water trade. In terms of intra basin cooperation, the cooperation in the Nile basin is the most lasting and extensive. Countries in the Nile basin have successively established a series of organizations such as the "Federation of Nile countries". In terms of cross basin water trade, some countries have proposed "friendship pipeline" and "peace pipeline".

Text source: cnki.net

About China

Transboundary cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong: Rational Allocation of Water Resources

The river is the mother of human beings. For thousands of years, the sons and daughters of the Pearl River have been working and breeding on the land cultivated by their mother, resulting in the continuous development of civilization. Hong Kong, located in the peninsula, has no way to directly use the water from the Pearl River. 

Photo source: qq.com

With the development of economy and society and the gradual high concentration of population, the problem of water use has naturally become a bottleneck. The Dongjiang water supply project has greatly alleviated the problem of water shortage in Hong Kong. For more than half a century, it has been providing a continuous stream of life water for Hong Kong. At present, more than 800 million cubic meters of water are supplied to Hong Kong through Shenzhen every year, and more than 70% of Hong Kong's drinking water comes from Dongjiang River.

Text source: kuaibao.qq.com

Lancang Mekong Water Resources 

China, Myanmar and other five Mekong countries jointly launched the website of Lancang Mekong water resources cooperation information sharing platform to further share of water resources data, information, knowledge, experience and technology among the six countries.

Photo source: chinaaseanenv.org 

China's Ministry of Water Resources provides Lancang River dry season hydrological information to Mekong countries, opens the website of Lancang Mekong water resources cooperation information sharing platform, actively shares relevant information of China, and systematically displays the outcomes. The information sharing platform jointly built by the six countries demonstrates to the world with fruitful cooperation achievements in the field of Lancang Mekong water resources, enhance the openness and transparency of cooperation among countries, and promote the realization of the common dream of peace, prosperity and development in Lancang Mekong region.

Text source: peopledaily.com.cn

●  Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On 1 January, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.