Author: Hari Bansh Jha
Source: Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA)
The present scarcity of water leads to a struggle over sharing of this resource, which is more pronounced in the case of transboundary waters. in the case of international boundaries, an upstream stakeholder's development plans might severely impact downstream ecosystems, livelihoods, and lives.
The rives originating in the Tibetan plateau are crucial sources of water for the other countries in the Indian sub-continent including India, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. China's plans to increase hydropower generation by tapping the rivers in Tibet are a source of concern for the lower riparian states.
These concerns are magnified by the lack of communication between the countries over the sharing of water resources. So far, China has neither signed a treaty with any of its neighbours or shared hydrological data with them.
The article proposes that the fragility of the Tibetan ecosystem, its cultural heritage, and the influence of the Tibetan plateau on the sub-continent's water resources make a strong case for the Tibetan plateau to be considered as global commons and treated accordingly. It also encourages the intiation of a multi-lateral dialogue over the harnessing and conservation of Tibetan waters.
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