Fresh Water and International Economic Law

Fresh water resources are at the same time ecological, economic, social, and cultural goods and must be managed accordingly. The laws and policies favouring privatization, trade and investment liberalization and the laws and policies governing water resources, environmental protection, and human rights intersect and may clash. This book addresses the key interdisciplinary issues that increasingly confront policy makers, international institutions, tribunals, the private sector, and other bodies in dealing with fresh water resources. Are governments free to decide whether or not to export water resources? Can foreign investors sue host states for adopting measures to control water pollution? Can international trade rules be used to reduce or eliminate water related subsidies? Do rules on the liberalization of water services affect domestic and international human rights obligations relating to water supply? How do the procedural rights of states, individuals, affected communities and investors affect decisions regarding the right to drinking water, the rights of investors to exploit water resources, and the rights of governments to protect their lakes, rivers and groundwater?