The Effects of International Agreements on Water Security: A Critical Study of the EU and MERCOSUR Approaches

Abstract

The consequences of overuse of the planet’s water supplies are the subject of emerging concern. This chapter aims to critically discuss the effects of different regulatory approaches to water security, comparing the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and paying close attention to industrial activity. Water security can be understood as the adequate availability of water to meet the needs of society, the economy and the ecosystem. Thus, the study intends to: (i) question the legal base, its coercive power and extent; (ii) explore effects of agreements on internal water regulation, focusing especially on the industrial sector; (iii) identify hydro-sustainable policies adopted by governments to control industrial activity considering the domestic and international laws. The chapter employs the critical hermeneutics methodology, examining publications of governments, international organisations, NGOs, academic articles, and international newspapers and magazines. The chapter notes that the most effective treaties regarding water security are those that have economic coercion clauses, such as the Basel and Stockholm Conventions. It concludes that current regulation and policies, especially in MERCOSUR, need to be urgently revised to ensure the quantity, quality and accessibility of water reserves are to be maintained for present and future generations.