Catálogo de publicaciones - libros

Water touches every aspect of human existence on planet earth. While this notion may be regarded as a triviality, it nevertheless has highly complex consequences. Water as a georesource is subject to many pressures due to its multiple functions that go far beyond its role as the fundamental basis of organic life. For instance, antagonistic social, economic and ecological demands meet to form the “water-energy-food” nexus. Rising population numbers, changing lifestyles and climate change have substantial impacts on water resources and aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, water is a factor in peace among nations: water can be both a source of controversy and of cooperation. The “hidden core” of many international conflicts can be regarded as disputes over the access to water.

The notion of a water ethics has only emerged over the past 10 years. It is mainly motivated by environmental concerns and the observation of water conflicts. This chapter focuses on the ethical aspects of human interventions into water systems. It describes cultural, moral and religious attitudes towards water and reviews the state of the art in this field. Its main objective is to conceptualise water ethics on the basis of the philosophical approach of discourse ethics and to draw conclusions for ethically responsible interventions into water systems and for dealing reasonably with water conflicts. Far from promising “miracles” from water ethics, the specific added value of ethical considerations lies in providing the orientation for ongoing debates on water challenges by not only applying substantial principles, but by offering suitable procedures as well.

This chapter aims at providing an overview of major water engineering projects as they are perceived within the scope of this volume. Furthermore, general principles of water technologies and their role in water conflicts and for solving water-related problems are outlined. An evaluation framework of technological measures for water management is meant to serve as a guiding concept for the in-depth analysis of the two study regions dealt with in this volume, i.e. the Fergana Valley and the Lower Jordan Valley.

Human activities have altered how the world functions. During the past decades, we have globally, fundamentally, in the long-term, and in most cases irreversibly modified all spheres of earth. This new epoch, often referred to as the Anthropocene, is just in its early stages. Indeed, there is general agreement that the transformation of our globe takes speed, with consequences that we can hardly imagine but that may threaten our own survival. This goes along with the general idea that major infrastructure projects are a sign of technological progress and believed to stimulate economic development and to improve living conditions for humans. In the present essay, a representative inventory of future major engineering projects, either planned or under construction in aquatic systems worldwide, shows that the rapid transformations of the Anthropocene are particularly evident in the freshwater domain. Worldwide examples of very large dams, major interbasin water-transfer and navigation projects, as well as large-scale restoration schemes, underline the dimensions of and the challenges associated with future megaprojects that will change our freshwater environment. Opportunities to mitigate the consequences of megaprojects based on the lessons learnt from projects in other infrastructure sectors range from ecological engineering to smart water investments that are adjusted to the respective national, social, economic, and environmental conditions.

Major water infrastructure projects like dams can provide substantial benefits such as food and drinking water security, hydropower generation, and flood control. But these benefits may come at a (too) high cost of large scale ecological alterations or adverse social impacts such as involuntary resettlements. If these costs are neglected, an investment decision will hardly be efficient. In this chapter, we will stress the necessity to make these “neglected values” visible and demonstrate how this can be achieved through economic valuation.

The article investigates the contributions of system theory and governance literature to implementing and managing MEWPs. Both approaches share the belief that problems should be addressed holistically and thus challenge the division of labor in the water sector. After sketching some major characteristics of system theory and governance, the findings are applied to MEWPs in Fergana and Jordan.

This chapter aims to present an overview of the two case studies “Irrigation and land use in the Fergana Valley” and “Water management in the Lower Jordan Valley”. It names the main criteria and reasons for their selection as cases in the study of implications of major water engineering projects. The political and cultural conditions in these regions and the major issues and problems concerning water management are outlined in broad terms.

This introductory section on water management in the Fergana Valley makes the case for viewing this major water engineering project (MWEP) in terms of two core positions: the interdependency of complex factors at play and the coexistence of forces for change and obduracy. We argue, firstly, that water management in the Fergana Valley is inextricably tied up with agriculture policy and practice, outlining how the region’s irrigation system is predicated upon post-Soviet agriculture. We illustrate, secondly, how this relationship is shaped not only by powerful path dependencies – in the shape of physical structures, sunk costs and institutional arrangements – but also by changes, both radical and incremental, in response to system failure, shifting political preferences or the emergence of viable alternatives. We conclude by setting the stage for the subsequent detailed analyses of selected arenas critical to the development of Fergana Valley’s irrigation system.

The Fergana Valley is regarded as one of the most fertile irrigated oases in Asia. The genesis of these highly productive agricultural lands is the result of a lengthy process that originated long before the Kokand Khanate controlled most of the valley. Major transformations occurred during Tsarist Russian rule when the upscaling of this irrigated land commenced and when Fergana was integrated into long-distance exchange networks. Major water works were planned, but only implemented in a massive fashion during Soviet rule with its major campaigns for modernisation and planning on a large scale. Cross-border management was established in the highly integrated water scheme at the same time. Rescaling is a challenge of contemporary times with the pressures of globalisation, independent Uzbekistan’s dependence on water supplies from its neighbours who share the Fergana Valley’s hydraulic resources and the conditions governing the cotton world market.

Managing water sustainably and efficiently is important for the Fergana Valley’s (FV) irrigation-dominated agricultural system and, subsequently, for its rural population and environment. During the past decade, national water legislation and the organisation of integrated water resources management have been reformed in FV and this development continues. Nevertheless, their implementation has been limited by the lack of resources and the weakness of the institutions. Moreover, the future challenges water management faces in the region’s agriculture are increasing all the time. These challenges include low water-use efficiency, fewer incentives for water users to increase land and water productivity, water shortages within the system, salinity and declines in key crop yields. Current irrigation strategies in the region are not adaptable enough to cope with variations in water supply and crop water requirements caused by land use and climate change. The objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of the irrigation water management in the region and to lay down some of the concepts and complexities in maintaining the existing irrigation infrastructure with the aim of increasing water productivity and environmental sustainability. We hope that this will help set the stage for productive discussions and to identify research needs.