Water security, perceptions and politics: The context for international watercourse negotiations

This chapter introduces water security as an enduring human goal. An understanding of water security provides an important point of reference for international water law to contribute toward better outcomes of negotiated dispute settlement on international watercourses. Seven lessons are drawn from our practical experience in many countries and river basins on most continents. These lessons are illustrated with examples that help to identify the context within which pathways must be found that unlock positive-sum outcomes for water security and growth. The lessons also help to define the context in which international water agreements will increasingly need to be negotiated.