Shared Resources: Transboundary Groundwaters - Reports of the Special Rapporteur

Abstract

The International Law Commission (ILC) has embarked upon a process of developing draft articles for a convention on transboundary groundwaters. The Special Rapporteur for the topic Shared Natural Resources, Chusei Yamada, has already presented two reports dealing with groundwater. This paper presents some of the background to the current work of the ILC. It also discusses and assesses the two reports of the Special Rapporteur and their reception by the ILC and the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly to which the ILC reports. Last, it looks at the work ahead and draws some conclusions regarding the approach the Special Rapporteur has chosen.