Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science

Introduction

"The Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science is building a new generation of local water leaders, through excellence in research and teaching, both in Dundee and by partnerships throughout the world. The Centre (formerly the International Water Law Research Institute) is located within the Postgraduate School of Management and Policy at the University of Dundee. The Centre operates under the auspices of UNESCO and is part of the IHP HELP programme. Established in 1999, HELP addresses the core themes of UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme by establishing a global network of basins to improve the links between hydrology and the needs of society. It uses hydrological science to support improved integrated catchment management and ameliorates the complex relationships between hydrological processes, water resources management, ecology, socio-economics and policy-making. The Centre acts as the Regional Coordinating Unit for the 20+ European HELP basins.

The Centre undertakes a wide breadth of research and consultancy recognising that if water law is to effectively implement IWRM and help the international community reach international development targets three essential elements must be considered: water rights, frameworks for allocation, and institutional mechanisms.

The Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science is uniquely qualified to provide advisory services in international and national water law and policy. It is a hub of experts focusing on applying an interdisciplinary approach, identifying and responding to water resources management issues and it has been instrumental in making law an integral part of this process" .

Mission Statement

They also describe how "The Centre’s mission is to contribute to conflict prevention and poverty alleviation at the global, regional and national levels through ensuring equitable and sustainable use of water resources; and to promote river basin management based on partnerships between stakeholders, managers and scientists. An established leader in research, postgraduate teaching and executive training in water law and policy, the Centre has recently added to its core of national, international and trans-national water lawyers, hydrologists and geographers.

The Centre aims to assist national governments and international agencies in meeting the UN’s Millennium Development Goals, and to develop innovative models and practices for integrated water resources management. It does this through research, teaching and advisory / consultancy services around the globe, with a particular focus on the countries of Central, East and South Asia, the Caucasus, and Africa" .

Projects

Selected current and recent projects

• Norway, Portugal/Spain, Cambodia/Vietnam, India(EU FP6): Strategy and Methodology for improved IWRM – An integrated interdisciplinary assessment in four twinning basins (STRIVER): assessing the existing governance framework within each of the twinned catchments, advising on best practice in good water governance, and working with stakeholders within the catchments to strengthened existing legal and institutional arrangements.

• World Meteorological Organisation / Global Water Partnership: Legal and Institutional Aspects of Integrated Flood Management (IFM), report on national and transboundary legal and institutional aspects of IFM; designing and testing a Rapid Legal Assessment Tool to determine the strength of existing legal frameworks relating to IFM.

• Kazakhstan (EU TACIS): providing support to Government of Kazakhstan to improve capacity of Ministry of Agriculture to create and develop Water User Committees (EU-SCADWUC): project focuses on proposing amendments to existing legislation, and will produce educational materials and standard-form by-laws, based on assessments of current levels of participation across the country.

• Kazakhstan (EU TWINBAS, FP6): analysing water legislation in Kazakhstan and advising on building stakeholder involvement in basin management, specifically in Nura basin.

• Europe and South Asia (EU FP6): Twinning European (upper Danube) and South Asian River basins (upper Brahmaputra) to enhance capacity and implement adaptive integrated water resources management approaches (BRAHMATWINN – see more here ). Focus on governance-mapping activities within the transboundary basins, as well as training key decision-makers in governance issues.

• Middle East and North Africa (DFID): Transboundary Water Management Review of Best Practice and Its Application to the Middle East and North Africa Region, identified various approaches and strategies adopted internationally for the management of transboundary water, and considered how better water management can help to improve livelihoods and reduce the likelihood of conflict in such basins.

• EU Asia-link Programme providing legal component of advanced training course in Integrated Watershed Management, in South and East Asia (see more here ).

WWF UN - Watercourses Ratification campaign.

WWF EU - Water Framework Directive transposition legal advice.

UNEP / UNECE – Advice on transboundary legal issues.

Alumni

A former student is Cledan Mandri-Perrot. From the UK, he completed his thesis in 2005 titled Developing Sustainable Legal Mechanisms for Private Sector Participation in the International Water and Wastewater Sector. He wrote a book, shortly after Sustainable Legal Mechanisms for Private Sector Participation in the International Water and Wastewater Sector : Compliance with EU Directives, which was published by the International Water Association. He now works for PA Consulting Group.

Staff

• Professor. Dr. Patricia Wouters

• Professor. Allan Werrity

• Professor. Michael Bonell

• Dr Michael Hantke-Domas

• Andrew Allan

• Dr. Alistair S Rieu-Clarke

• Dr. Sarah Hendry

• Monica Garcia Quesada