TRADE INCENTIVES IN WATER CONSERVATION: ADDING A MARKET-BASED MECHANISM TO TRANSBOUNDARY WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND INTERNATIONAL WATER TREATIES

摘要

This article will argue that transboundary water management and principles of international trade can be closely intertwined as a sustainable solution to water scarcity. There have been disputes over how to classify water in treaty and trade agreements, as its fragility in our ageing infrastructures becomes more apparent. Parties to international treaties struggle to define at what point water goes from being a natural resource to a product in trade subject to tariffs and international law. Is water a human right, or is it a commodity? If it is the latter, how do trade laws affect its transfer between nations and states under international law? What tariffs apply, and how do we ensure fairness in trade with a resource so precious.