Águas transfronteiriças superficiais: o caso da bacia do rio Danúbio / Superficial transboundary waters: the case of the Danube river basin

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

In the last decades we have seen the environmental issues being transformed into one of the main challenges for humanity. Their transnational dimension is reached when natural limits do not coincide with political ones, enhancing, therefore, the complexity of the problem. Consequently, topics such as sustainability and environmental security start to acquire an outstanding position in the international agenda, which demands new interpretations of the classic concept of sovereignty. The concern related to superficial transboundary waters - waters that flow on international river basins - represents a materialization of the challenges mentioned above, mainly because these sources correspond to the greatest share of superficial fresh water and are submitted to severe threats. Among them we can mention: the excessive consumption of limited water supplies, which has been provoking a lack of water crisis; in addition to it there are the inherent antagonisms related to the necessity of sharing these sources, which motivates the competition between distinct national interests. On account of these interests, worries and questions appear referring to the capability the water has to generate or instigate international tensions. Taking as a starting point the intrinsic relationship between territory and politics, this dissertation identifies the variables linked to the conflictive/cooperative potential of the superficial transboundary waters. Whilst pursuing this task, we have the opportunity to discuss the way the new topics of the international agenda approach this matter. The analysis of the Danube river basin, as a case study, proves that superficial transboundary waters can spoil the relationships between countries and that geographic and political circumstances are crucial for the definition of the countries interests and, consequently, for the quality of the outcome of this matter.

ASSUNTO(S)

Água doce (distribuição geográfica); bacia hidrográfica - rio danúbio; geografia política; recursos fresh water (geographical distribution) hydrographic basins - danube river; political geography; hydrical resources (ambiental aspects)

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