Linking rivers in the Ganges-Brahmaputra River Basin: exploring the transboundary effects

Anik Bhaduri and Edward Barbier

Conference Papers from International Water Management Institute

Abstract: The following paper explores the possible inter-linkage of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River Basin and analyzes its effect on future water allocation between the upstream country, India, and the downstream country, Bangladesh. We find that water transfer from the Brahmaputra River could be mutually beneficial for both countries. However, the only possible motivation for the richer upstream country, India, to agree to transfer water to the poorer downstream country, Bangladesh, is political altruism. Using a political economy model we find that, if there is a good political relationship between India and Bangladesh, then India could be altruistic toward Bangladesh and transfer more water downstream. Changes in political altruism factor, however, could entice India to exercise unilateral diversion, in which case simulations predict that Bangladesh would incur large environmental damages. Political uncertainty may also result in unilateral diversion of water by India, and could prevent agreement on water transfers from the Brahmaputra. We therefore explore the conditions under which Bangladesh could accept an Indian proposal to transfer water from Brahmaputra, despite political uncertainty.Length: pp.373-395

Keywords: River; basin; management; River; basin; development; Development; projects; International; cooperation; Water; transfer; Water; allocation; Planning; Flow; Simulation; models; Computer; software; Environmental; effects; Risks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/Other/PDF/N ... g-2%20Paper%2017.pdf

Related works:
Working Paper: Linking rivers in the Ganges-Brahmaputra River Basin: exploring the transboundary effects (2008)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:iwt:conppr:h041813

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Conference Papers from International Water Management Institute Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chandima Gunadasa ().