This edited volume provides a critical discussion of particular trends that are widely recognised to influence water management by comparing them with what is actually happening in the field. Among others, these trends include water security, adaptive or integrative management, and the water-energy-food nexus, which are often presented as essential means to reaching more sustainable and resilient water use. However, the extent to which these trends have managed to structure concrete practices in water management remains uncertain. Informed by empirically grounded research, each chapter of this work engages with a particular approach, concept or theory. Together, they provide a nuanced picture of trends in water management that require universal remedies and global norms.

This book examines the issues at stake in transboundary water governance, it spotlights the Rhone River, a biophysical entity of enormous historical, political and economic importance. The Rhone has long been viewed essentially as a tool for energy production, heavily canalized and exploited by a series of dams and nuclear power plants - with the result that those who live along this great river have simply turned away. Basing their work on a detailed analysis of the history and the current management of the Rhone, the authors explore the challenges linked with transboundary river basin governance including relevant international water law, appropriation of river and river resources by Nation States. Finally, they discuss a diverse range of institutional architectures and outlines several solutions that might cope with the growing complexity of transboundary management of a major river. The book will be of interest to scholars in fields such as environment studies, water policy and Natural Resource Management, it also has relevance to water managers and entrepreneurs concerned with staying abreast of developments in water policy and governance.

Over recent decades, there have been pivotal changes in the management and protection of water resources as human rights, environmental and water law have all turned towards the conservation of freshwater. This astute Research Handbook analyses the interactions and interplay between law and other fields, bringing together interdisciplinary contributors, from both academic and practitioner background, to establish the extent to which law is being informed by other fields. Providing expert advice from disciplines ranging from law and political science to geography and hydrogeology, this Research Handbook critically examines the impact on freshwater law on various disciplines. Offering concrete illustrations of the relationships between environmental sciences and law, and combining legal research with theories of international relations, political science, and environmental sciences, the Research Handbook on Freshwater Law and International Relations provides an original methodology to examine the challenge of freshwater management and protection. The insights provided by this Research Handbook will be invaluable to law and political science researchers with an interest freshwater law and international relations, as well as advanced students of environmental sciences and practitioners and decision makers in freshwater management and protection. Contributors include: D. Azaria, A. Aureli, M. Beniston, L. Boisson de Chazournes, T. Bolognesi, C. Brethaut, L. Caflisch, A. Correia Lima Macedo Franca, A. Dumont, E. Dupuits, E. Fiechter-Widemann, S. Hawkins, S. Kpenou, Z.W. Kundzewicz, C. Leb, L. Maertens, R. Martin-Nagle, M.M. Mbengue, S. McCaffrey, O. McIntyre, M. Milano, N. Odili, G. Pflieger, S.M.A. Salman, E. Reynard, A. Rivera, M. Stoffel, A. Tanzi, M. Tignino, L. Turley, B. Zerhdoud

This book examines the issues at stake in transboundary water governance, it spotlights the Rhone River, a biophysical entity of enormous historical, political and economic importance. The Rhone has long been viewed essentially as a tool for energy production, heavily canalized and exploited by a series of dams and nuclear power plants - with the result that those who live along this great river have simply turned away. Basing their work on a detailed analysis of the history and the current management of the Rhone, the authors explore the challenges linked with transboundary river basin governance including relevant international water law, appropriation of river and river resources by Nation States. Finally, they discuss a diverse range of institutional architectures and outlines several solutions that might cope with the growing complexity of transboundary management of a major river. The book will be of interest to scholars in fields such as environment studies, water policy and Natural Resource Management, it also has relevance to water managers and entrepreneurs concerned with staying abreast of developments in water policy and governance.