What is the International Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UNWC)?

The International Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UNWC), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1997, is a treaty that sets out the legal framework for the management of international waters. This convention covers international watercourses, which are rivers, streams, and lakes that are shared by two or more countries. It also applies to aquifers, or underground bodies of water, that extend beyond the boundaries of a single country. The UNWC establishes fundamental principles for how countries are to cooperatively manage, utilize, and protect international water resources. Some of these principles include the obligation to no harm to other countries through the use of international waters, the equitable and reasonable utilization of international waters, the obligation to not cause significant harm to the environment, the obligation to take into account the interests of all countries, and the obligation to avoid unilateral measures. In New Hampshire, the UNWC is an important document, as the state is home to some international watercourses, such as the Androscoggin River. This river, which flows through New Hampshire and Maine, has been used for fishing, agriculture, and recreation for generations. Thus, the UNWC plays an important role in ensuring that both states cooperate for the benefit of themselves and the river.

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What is the International Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UNWC)?

What is the International Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UNWC)?

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