International Law and Policies on Floods

• Published in: Flood Handbook Vol. 1; pp. 207 - 216
• Main Authors: Pena-Neira, Sergio, Eslamian, Saeid
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: CRC Press 2022
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: International Law; United Nations; Flood Risk; Vice Versa; Floods; Common Floods; Follow; Flood Management; Public Policy Making Process; Flood Risk Assessment; International Public Policies; Macro Theory; United Nations Framework Convention; Natural Water Retention; Implementation Side; Big River; International Treaties; Adverse Effects; Watercourses States; International Watercourses; Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment; Flooding; International Policies; Climate Change; Flood Risk Management; Flood Risk Management Plans; environmental framework; Training Systematic Analysis; International Legal Rules
• ISBN: 9781032201849; 9781138584938; 1138584932; 1032201843
• DOI: 10.1201/9781003262640-11

International law and international policies on floods are key for the development of new insights on flood management. However, little attention has been put on this subject. Currently, after new insights on adverse effects of climate change related to floods, the need for more knowledge on how to manage floods arising from these adverse effects. Further, international legal rules might provide a legal framework for the development of such international policies. However, such international law will develop some basic legal answers to the problems of floods for countries. Floods have been in the life of human beings for decades, even centuries, and it is possible to trace them for longer periods of time. Related to weather changes, they have not been a big threat to human beings since our population has increased to the point in which any change in the incidence of this phenomenon might create a shortage of food or shelter and even death to a large amount of the population of one or more countries. Such adverse effects of floods might be diminished if and only if international law could create a legal framework for diminishing the possibilities of catastrophes derived from floods. At this point, it is possible to find better ways to prepare the population and areas of land against catastrophes by implementing legal rules on the subject. On the other hand, it might be possible to bind international rules with international policies related to the positive outcomes in order to obtain a better outcome related to the management of floods and prevent the negative outcomes considering a new environmental framework derived from climate change. This contribution explores international legal rules and international policies in order to define if the aforementioned aim is possible to be achieved. International law and international policies on floods are key for the development of new insights on flood management. Floods have been in the life of human beings for decades, even centuries, and it is possible to trace them for longer periods of time. International law has not focused on floods. Such lack of interest might be related to the lack of knowledge on floods and the scientific effects of floods on agriculture. The Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses (CLNNUIW) goal is the protection, preservation, and management of certain waters, those without navigational uses: international watercourses. Management of watercourses has been considered in relation to sustainable development. Watercourses should grow considering sustainable development. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is one of the few international legal rules recognizing the problems derived from the change of weather for flood creation.