ABSTRACT
The International Hydrological Programme (IHP) is the only intergovernmental scientific programme of the United Nations (UN) system devoted to hydrology, water resources management, and water education. Since its inception, IHP has paid due attention to studies on groundwater resources and aquifer characteristics, enhancing the role that aquifers play in supporting human activities and ecosystems. The programme contributes to the assessment of international river basins and aquifers. In order to conduct a global inventory of transboundary aquifers and to elaborate recommendations for the sustainable management of these systems, UNESCO launched the International Shared Aquifer Resources Management (ISARM) programme. ISARM has identified more than 270 transboundary aquifers. These systems exist in each continent, are shared by two or more countries and contain significant quantities of groundwater. In 2002, due to the lack of international instruments providing a legal regime for the proper management of these aquifers, the UN International Law Commission (UNILC) embarked on the preparation of the Law of Transboundary Aquifers. UNESCO-ISARM gave its support to the UNILC by mobilizing hydrogeologists, water resources managers and groundwater administrators. Within a relatively short period of six years, the UNILC was able to complete an entire set of 19 draft articles that were submitted to the 63rd Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). The UNGA adopted the Resolution on the Law of Transboundary Aquifers (A/RES/63/124) in December 2008 which included, in its annex, these draft articles.
