Transboundary River Basins in the European Union and the Impacts of the Anthropocene

Abstract

Hydopolitics in the European Union has been shaped by a number of special hydro-climatic and political features that helped create an exemplary model of water cooperation in global comparison. These include a high number of international river basins in a relatively small territory (high political complexity) as well as the abundance and relatively even spatial and temporal distribution of water resources (low hydrological complexity). Yet, the Anthropocene, especially climate change, brings about new phenomena that are likely to alter the stability of hydrological conditions in the continent. Most importantly the variability of river flows is expected to increase resulting in prolonged droughts even in areas where overall volumes will not decline.