International Documents

International Agreements

• 1997 UN Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses. Adopted by UNGA 21 May 1997; Entered into force 17 August 2014 (available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic). See also
  • UNILC's Report and Commentaries submitted to the UNGA in 1994 along with the draft articles on the law of non-navigational uses of international watercourses.
  • UN Press Release on the adoption of the Convention
  • Current Status of the Convention
• 1994 United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Series Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, and Chinese).
• Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, Done at Ramsar, Iran, 2 February 1971 (available at English, French, Spanish, and German).
• Convention Relating to the Development of the Hydraulic Power of International Affecting More Than One State, and Protocol of Signature. Done in Geneva, 9 December 1923
• Convention and Statute on the Regime of Navigable Waterways of International Concern. Done in Barcelona, 20 April 1921

UN Declarations and Resolutions

• U.N. Human Rights Council Resolution on Human Rights and Access to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation, A/HRC/15/L.1 (24 September 2010)
• U.N. General Assembly Resolution on the Human Right to Water and Sanitation, A/64/L.63/Rev.1 (26 July 2010)
• UNILC Draft Articles on the Law of Transboundary Aquifers
  • 2008 U.N. General Assembly Resolution on the Law of Transboundary Aquifers, A/RES/63/124 (December 2008). The related UNILC's Report and Commentaries are available in English, French,
  • 2011 U.N. General Assembly Resolution on the Law of Transboundary Aquifers, A/RES/66/104 (December 2011)
  • Report of the Sixth Committee, The law of transboundary aquifers (UN Doc. A/68/470, 19 November 2013) containing the text of the 2013 Resolution Resolution on the Law of Transboundary Aquifers adopted by the UNGA
  • Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 13 December 2016: The Law of Transboundary Aquifers
  • Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 18 December 2019: The Law of Transboundary Aquifers
• International Decade for Action, "Water for Life", 2005-2015, General Assembly Resolution A/RES/58/217 (December 2003)
• International Year of Freshwater General Assembly Resolution A/RES/55/196 (December 2000)
• International Law Commission, Resolution on Confined Transboundary Groundwater (1994) (English) (French)
• Resolution 34/186 on Co-operation in the field of the Environment concerning Natural Resources Shared by Two or More States New York, 18 December 1979
• Resolution 3129 (XXVIII) on Cooperation in the Field of the Environment Concerning Natural Resources Shared by Two of More States. New York, 13 December 1973
• General Assembly resolution 2669 (XXV) on progressive development and codification of the rules of international law relating to international watercourses. New York, 8 December 1970

Institute of International Law Resolutions

• Athens Resolution on the Pollution of Rivers and Lakes and International Law, Institute of International Law, 12 September 1979
• Sazburg Resolution Concerning the Utilization of Non-Maritime Waters for Purposes Other than Navigation, Institute of International Law, 11 September 1961
• Paris Resolution on Regulation governing Navigation on International Rivers, Institute of International Law, 19 October 1934
• Madrid Declaration on International Regulations Regarding the Use of International Watercourses for Purposes other than Navigation, Institute of International Law, Institute of International Law, 20 April 1911
• Heidelberg Resolution on International Regulation on River Navigation, Institute of International Law, 9 September 1887

International Law Association Documents

• Berlin Rules on Water Resources, International Law Association Berlin Conference on Water Resources Law (2004)
  • Berlin Rules (with comments)
  • Berlin Rules Dissenting Opinion
• Articles on Private Law Remedies for Transboundary Damage in International Watercourses, International Law Association, Committee on International Water Resources, Helsinki Conference, (1996)
• Articles on Cross-Media Pollution Resulting from the Use of the Waters of an International Drainage Basin, International Law Association, Committee on International Water Resources, Helsinki Conference, 1996
• Rules on Cross-Media Pollution, International Law Association, Committee on International Water Resources, Buenos Aires Conference Report, 1994
• Complementary Rules Applicable to International Water Resources, International Law Association, Committee on International Water Resources, Report of the Sixty-Second Conference, Seoul Conference Report, Seoul, 1986
• Seoul Rules on International Groundwaters, International Law Association, Committee on International Water Resources, Report of the Sixty-Second Conference, Seoul Conference Report, Seoul, 1986
• Rules on the Water Pollution in an International Drainage Basin, International Law Association, Report of the Sixtieth Conference, Montreal, 1982
• Articles on the Relationship between Water, Other Natural Resources and the Environment, International Law Association, Report of the Fifty-Ninth Conference, Belgrade, 1980
• Regulation of the Flow of Water of International Watercourses, International Law Association, Report of the Fifty-Ninth Conference, Belgrade, 1980
• Resolution on International Water Resources Administration, International Law Association, Report of the Fifty-Seventh Conference, Madrid, 1976
• Resolution on the Protection of Water Resources and Water Installations in Times of Armed Conflict, International Law Association, Report of the Fifty-Seventh Conference, Madrid, 1976
• Articles on Marine Pollution of Continental Origin, International Law Association, Report of the Fifty-Fifth Conference, New York, 1972
• Articles on Flood Control, International Law Association, Report of the Fifty-Fifth Conference, New York, 1972
• Helsinki Rules on the Uses of the Waters of International Rivers, International Law Association (1966)
  • Helsinki Rules (as amended)
  • Helsinki Rules (original with comments)
• Recommendation on Pollution Control, International Law Association, Report of the Forty-Ninth Conference, Hamburg, August 1960
• Recommendations on the Procedures concerning the Non-Navigational Uses, International Law Association, Report of the Forty-Ninth Conference, Hamburg, August 1960
• Resolution on the Use on the Waters of International Rivers, International Law Association, Report of the Forty-Eighth Conference, New York, 1958
• Statement of Principles, International Law Association, Report of the Forty-Seventh Conference, Dubrovnik, 1956

Other International Documents

• Resolution VIII.40, Guidelines for rendering the use of groundwater compatible with the conservation of wetlands: “Wetlands: water, life and culture." 8th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) Valencia, Spain, 18-26 November 2002
• Organization of American States: Draft Convention on the Industrial and Agricultural Use of International Rivers and Lakes Rio de Janeiro, 1 September 1965
• General Comment No. 15 (2002), The Right to Water, Substantive Issues Arising in the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, U.N. Economic and Social Council, E/C.12/2002/11 (26 November 2002) (PDF)
• Dublin Statement on the Water and Sustainable Development
• Transboundary Groundwaters: The Bellagio Draft Treaty, available at: 29 Nat. Resources J. 676 (1989) (PDF)
• UN Conference on Environment & Development (Rio de Janeiro/Brazil, June 1992), Chapter 18 - Protection of the Quality and Supply of Freshwater Resources: Application of Integrated Approaches to the Development, Management and Use of Water Resources
• Alicante Declaration is the action agenda that resulted from the debates held during the celebration of the International Symposium on Groundwater Sustainability (ISGWAS) that was held in Alicante, Spain, on January 23rd-27th, 2006 (PDF)