International Management for Water Quality Within The Kura-Araks Basin
| Geolocation: | 40° 22' 14.633", 45° 31' 30.625" |
|---|---|
| Total Population | 1616,000,000 millionmillion |
| Total Area | 193,200193,200 km² 74,594.52 mi² km2 |
| Climate Descriptors | Semi-arid/steppe (Köppen B-type), Continental (Köppen D-type), temperate, alpine |
| Predominent Land Use Descriptors | agricultural- cropland and pasture, industrial use, urban |
| Important Uses of Water | Agriculture or Irrigation, Domestic/Urban Supply, Industry - consumptive use |
Contents
Summary
Natural, Historic, Economic, Regional, and Political Framework
Figure 1. Map of the Kura-Araks River Basin [1]
Background
Before the end of the twentieth century and the fall of the Soviet Union, international water resources management in the Kura-Araks River basin was defined by two separate treaties signed by the nations of the region. In 1927, the U.S.S.R. (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), signed an agreement with the government of Turkey to share equally all the common water resources along the borders of the two nations. Alongside such an agreement was created the Joint Boundary Water Commission whose charge it was to manage the use of the shared water resources. In 1957, a similar agreement was signed between the U.S.S.R and Iran. These two treaties encompass what in 2004 is a goal to be sought after. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the emergence of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia as independent states, over forty sections of rivers became transboundary that had not been prior to the break up. The Kura-Araks was no exception to this and, as the lifeblood of the three nations in terms of agriculture, this was a significant change in the way the region thought about water. After the U.S.S.R. dissolved, the three countries did not develop a legal framework for the management of the shared water resources of the region, thereby initiating the situation in which the Southern Caucasus finds itself today.
The Problem
The reason that Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are being forced to confront the issue of the Kura-Araks River is because of problems of pollution. The river is heavily contaminated by chemical, industrial, biological, agricultural and radioactive pollutants. The failure of wastewater treatment plants plays a major role in this dilemma in that the actual amount of water that is being treated is less than a decade ago. The concentrations of contaminants in the Kura-Araks reach levels that are much higher than standards in any of the three countries or internationally as well. Azerbaijan, the downstream nation, and lacking groundwater resources like Georgia or Armenia, depends on the Kura-Araks for the majority of its agricultural, industrial and household use. As the water flows into Azerbaijan polluted, the Azeri’s complain about the contamination that takes place upstream in the other nations. Compounding the issue is the political unrest between Armenia and Azerbaijan that has existed since 1988. Tensions between the two then-republics of the U.S.S.R sprouted into bloody conflict after becoming independent nations in 1991 over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, an area embattled with conflict for decades previous. Armenia took over a good portion of the region from Azerbaijan and still controls the region even after a ceasefire took place in 1994. Even ten years later, the issue has not yet been resolved and this has caused major tensions between the two countries with regards to its diplomatic relations and confronting other issues such as the Kura-Araks dilemma. It has been difficult for the two nations to come to the table to talk about the Kura-Araks River when the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute is still underway.
Attempts at Conflict Management
Due to the relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, there has not been any advancement towards a regional entity or treaty that would assist in the cooperation of the management of the Kura-Araks River basin. Many bilateral agreements and laws have been signed between Georgia and Armenia and Georgia and Azerbaijan with regards to regulation of water use and management of both quality and quantity of water resources. There are several international organizations such as UNDP/GEF, USAID and TACIS involved in the region to help with water resources management and development. The progress of such programs has been slow as a result of the tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but a foundation is being established for future work between the nations when they are ready. In 2002, the Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus hosted an international conference on "Water Resources Management in the Countries of the South Caucasus in Tbilisi, Georgia between representatives of environmental agencies within the three governments, NGOs, parliamentary committees, scientists, the EU and international organizations and donor agencies. The resolution agreed to by the participants took into consideration the following:
- Accelerate the reform of the management of water resources
- Increase the level of involvement and initiatives by the public and by NGOs
- Develop an environmental security strategy for water resources especially in regards the hazardous material industries of oil, mining and nuclear facilities
- Develop a regional transboundary water management plan
- Support a culture of sustainable water use
- Encourage closer international cooperation in the sustainable use of water resources
- Improve the coordination and exchange of information between stakeholders
These goals, and others, that were agreed to by the participants of the conference are a starting point from which the three nations of the Southern Caucasus can begin to establish good relationships with one another, to build trust in order to develop a regional entity and treaty for the improved management of the Kura-Araks River.
Issues and Stakeholders
Forming an international management body for the Kura-Araks River basin.
NSPD: Water Quality, Governance
Stakeholder Types: Federated state/territorial/provincial government, Sovereign state/national/federal government, Non-legislative governmental agency, Environmental interest, Industry/Corporate Interest, Community or organized citizens
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are being forced to confront the issue of the Kura-Araks River because of problems of pollution. The river is heavily contaminated by chemical, industrial, biological, agricultural and radioactive pollutants.
Stakeholders: • Azerbaijan • Armenia • Georgia • Turkey • Iran (Araks) • UNDP/GEF • USAID
• TACIS
Analysis, Synthesis, and Insight
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Learn moreASI:Kura-Araks Basins: Insights from the Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database
Contributed by: Aaron T. Wolf, Joshua T. Newton, Matthew Pritchard (last edit: 12 February 2013)
- ^ Product of the Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database, Department of Geosciences, Oregon State University. Additional information about the TFDD can be found at: http://www.transboundarywaters.orst.edu
