Dams on shared rivers: the concept of benefit sharing

Scheumann, Waltina / Ines Dombrowsky / Oliver Hensengerth
External Publications (2014)

in: Anik Bhaduri / Janos Bogardi / Jan Leentvaar / Sina Marx (eds.), The global water system in the anthropocene: challenges for science and governance, Berlin: Springer, 105-124

ISBN: 978-3-31907-547-1
Information

In recent years, the concept of benefit sharing has been proposed as a means of fostering the cooperative use of international rivers. Most of the relevant literature focuses on opportunities for the generation of net benefits from cooperation; however, little attention has so far been paid to specific mechanisms for benefit sharing applied to the specific case of dams on international rivers.
This paper fills this gap and asks both what incentives can be offered to encourage benefit sharing and what benefit-sharing mechanisms can be identified. Based on a conceptual approach, dam projects on the rivers Senegal, Columbia, Orange-Senqu, Nile and Zambezi are reviewed in order to explore the benefit-sharing mechanisms used at international levels. The paper also finds that negative environmental impacts are largely neglected, while social costs are not fully accounted for. The paper advocates for linking interstate with domestic benefit-sharing mechanisms which might be the ultimate step towards a socially inclusive, sustainable dam development.

About the authors

Dombrowsky, Ines

Economist

Dombrowsky

Scheumann, Waltina

Political Scientist

Scheumann

Further experts

Aleksandrova, Mariya

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Banerjee, Aparajita

Environmental and Resource Sociology, Public Policy 

Hein, Jonas

Geography 

Hernandez, Ariel

Economy 

Houdret, Annabelle

Political Scientist 

Lehmann, Ina

Political Science 

Never, Babette

Political Scientist 

Pegels, Anna

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Schüpf, Dennis

Economics