ABSTRACT
The Sundarbans mangrove forest, the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world, is located at the lower end of the Ganges River delta. It is split between India and Bangladesh, both parts belonging to World Heritage Sites. The forest is situated in a brackish water zone, although many species are freshwater-loving species, including its iconic species, the Sundari tree. The ecosystem of the Sundarbans is, therefore, heavily dependent on freshwater flow received through the distributaries of the Ganges. The upstream water diversion of the Ganges in India, most notably by the Farakka Barrage since 1975, has increased salinity in the Sundarbans, threatening its distinctive ecosystem. India and Bangladesh signed the 30-year Ganges Water Treaty (GWT) in 1996, which did not take into consideration freshwater flow requirements for the Sundarbans. In 2011, Bangladesh and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding recognizing Sundarbans as a single ecosystem and committed to joint management. This recognition by both parties provides an opportunity to negotiate and allocate Ganges water under a new treaty due in 2026 for the sustenance of the Sundarbans. This chapter reviews the extent of damage to the Sundarbans from lack of freshwater flow and then explores different options to improve the situation for this vulnerable ecosystem. The inclusion of Sundarbans – as perhaps the only transboundary ecosystem that has a World Heritage Site and Ramsar site on both sides of the boundary – within the upcoming 2026 GWT negotiations can serve as an example of how to operationalize water diplomacy processes and tools for effective transboundary water cooperation.
