Water Resources and International Conflict:
Game Theory
Kristina Schneider
Some Interesting Related Links:
Water Resource Issues in the 106th Congress
UNECE - Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
UN Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses
International Water and Sanitation Centre
As standards of living increase around the world, water resources will continue to become a more valuable commodity. Waterways, however, are not contained in the political boundaries that we have created, they naturally flow as the landscape dictates. Conflict then arises when two or more nations vie for a water bodies limited supply. Water resource conflict is not new, the Middle East has experienced water related conflict as early as 5000 years ago.
The question now is with possibility of water related conflict increasingly become an issue in international relationships, how can we peacefully resolve these issues in a impartial manner. This is the topic I would like to explore in this project. I would like explore the follow topics:
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The nature of international water resource conflict.
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The possibility of game theory as a method of conflict resolution.
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Using the mechanism design variant of game theory to analysis water resource quarrels.
Game theory is a mathematical analysis of a situation involving a conflict of interest, with the intent of indicating the optimal choices the will lead to the desired outcome. It is a general theory of strategic behavior, that serves as a guide for players. Game theory has been applied to main situations including economics and sociology.
I was going to investigate mechanism design theory, which is a variant of game theory. It differs from game theory in that it assumes the rules of the game are not stable but can possibly vary. Game theory takes the rules of the game as a given. The method allows for potentially more maximum benefits to all players. With the time constraints of a semester project I am not able to look at this topic. It does seem like an interesting option in the field of decision making.
Water Bodies of Possible Conflict
Iguaca Falls on the Parana River, which forms the border between Brazil and Paraguay.
The Danube River flows
through multiple countries in Europe and has been a source of conflict
between Slovakia and Hungary
The Nile River flows from Central Africa through the Sudan and Egypt.
India's diversions from the Ganges
River have instigated tensions with Bangladesh.