Difference between revisions of "Multilateral Negotiations over the Scheldt River Estuary: Transforming Centuries of Deadlock into Productive Multiparty Negotiations?"

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|Population=12.8
 
|Population=12.8
 
|Area=22116
 
|Area=22116
|Geolocation=51.41805099864197, 3.658447265625
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|Summary=The Scheldt River rises in France, flows through the three regions of Belgium—Wallonia, Brussels Capital, and Flanders—and empties into the North Sea in the Netherlands.  While the entire region, and especially the waterways and strategic sea access that the Scheldt River provides, have been a source of conflict and tension in the region for centuries, this case will focus primarily on negotiations over the Western Scheldt Estuary specifically, beginning in the 1960s at the start of a period of more productive relations among the neighboring parties, and describe and later analyze the interactions between them through the early 2000s.  Information about the Basin is provided to give context to this analysis. 
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Negotiations over water resources, ecology and nature preservation, and transit/sea access issues, among others, were conducted over more than 40 years (some are ongoing), principally between the Netherlands and Belgium, with other stakeholders involved to varying degrees at different points.  Adding layers of complexity to these negotiations were the federalization process occurring in Belgium, which changed the stakeholders who had a seat at the table mid-way through negotiations, and the evolving requirements governing water resource management and ecosystem conservation, stemming from the European Water Framework Directive and from regulations from the European Commission such as the Habitats and Birds Directives (European Commission, n.d.) and from the UN Economic Commission for Europe.
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Revision as of 18:05, 22 May 2014

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Case Description
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Geolocation: 51° 25' 4.9836", 3° 39' 30.4102"
Total Population 12.812,800,000 millionmillion
Total Area 2211622,116 km²
8,538.988 mi²
km2
Climate Descriptors temperate
Predominent Land Use Descriptors agricultural- cropland and pasture, industrial use, urban- high density
Important Uses of Water Agriculture or Irrigation, Domestic/Urban Supply, Industry - non-consumptive use, Other Ecological Services

Summary

The Scheldt River rises in France, flows through the three regions of Belgium—Wallonia, Brussels Capital, and Flanders—and empties into the North Sea in the Netherlands. While the entire region, and especially the waterways and strategic sea access that the Scheldt River provides, have been a source of conflict and tension in the region for centuries, this case will focus primarily on negotiations over the Western Scheldt Estuary specifically, beginning in the 1960s at the start of a period of more productive relations among the neighboring parties, and describe and later analyze the interactions between them through the early 2000s. Information about the Basin is provided to give context to this analysis.

Negotiations over water resources, ecology and nature preservation, and transit/sea access issues, among others, were conducted over more than 40 years (some are ongoing), principally between the Netherlands and Belgium, with other stakeholders involved to varying degrees at different points. Adding layers of complexity to these negotiations were the federalization process occurring in Belgium, which changed the stakeholders who had a seat at the table mid-way through negotiations, and the evolving requirements governing water resource management and ecosystem conservation, stemming from the European Water Framework Directive and from regulations from the European Commission such as the Habitats and Birds Directives (European Commission, n.d.) and from the UN Economic Commission for Europe.



Natural, Historic, Economic, Regional, and Political Framework

Analysis, Synthesis, and Insight

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ASI:Reflection on Challenges and Lessons Learned in Negotiations over the Western Scheldt Estuary

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Contributed by: Elizabeth Cooper (last edit: 27 May 2014)