Transboundary aquifers: A global outline 2021

Image
Transboundary aquifers: A global outline 2021

Transboundary aquifers (TBAs) are aquifers which cross national borders. The vast majority of countries are so-called ‘aquifer states’, sharing a precious natural resource: groundwater. Aquifer states need to have a good knowledge of these shared resources because changes in groundwater quality and quantity can have an effect across the border which can lead to international problems. The state of the transboundary aquifer and its current and projected use will define the level of necessary cooperation between aquifer states.

Two decades after systematic work on transboundary aquifers started, there is a global transboundary aquifer baseline, a transboundary aquifer information system, a methodology for transboundary aquifer assessment and a legal framework for international transboundary aquifer cooperation. This brochure summarises these developments and highlights the challanges related to transboundary aquifers that must be addressed moving forward.

Reference

IGRAC (International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre), 2021. Transboundary Aquifers, A Global Outline 2021. Brochure. Delft, Netherlands: IGRAC, 2021.