Mixing Waters: Stakeholder Influence in Transboundary Water Conflict and Cooperation
Publisher: Water International
Author(s): Alyssa Offutt
Date: 2022
Topics: Cooperation, Governance, Renewable Resources
Countries: Austria, Bolivia, Germany, Kenya, Peru, Switzerland, Tanzania, Uganda
Understanding the factors that contribute to transboundary water conflict and cooperation is critical to improve governance and protect water resources. State interactions are shaped by multiple pressures and multi-scalar actors. This research assesses how local stakeholders influence the state through an analysis of power, water quality-related vulnerability and risk. Based on the findings, local stakeholders directly and indirectly support high-intensity cooperation over transboundary lakes and can foster low-intensity conflict to enable a greater representation of needs. Local actors also mutually influence state and international processes causing a multi-scalar impact and response to the states’ transboundary water quality interactions.