Professor Dr Patricia Wouters
Contact Details
Email: p.k.wouters@dundee.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1382 384456
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Patricia Wouters (PhD, international law, University of Geneva, Graduate Institute of Higher Education; DES, Geneva Graduate Institute of Higher Education; LLM, University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall; LLB, BA, University of Ottawa, Canada; visiting research fellow, Max Planck Institute for Public and Comparative International Law, Heidelberg, Germany)
Professor Dr Patricia Wouters is the Director of the Dundee IHP-HELP Centre.
Professor Dr Patricia Wouters leads an inter/multi-disciplinary team of water law, policy and science experts at the University of Dundee, Scotland. Professor Wouters established the graduate water law programme at Dundee in 1996 and has worked since then to build the capacity and range of expertise in the unit to its current research team comprised of experts in three areas of water law (international water law; national water law; and regulation of water services) and three areas of water science (river catchment hydrology; sustainable flooding; and climate change). The Dundee IHP-HELP Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science is the first Centre under the auspices of UNESCO in the UK and the first of its kind in the world.
Professor Wouters (Canadian and Belgian national) began her university studies at the University of Ottawa (Canada), where she completed a BA (gold medalist) and LLB (cum laude). Following close to a decade in legal practice (Alberta, Canada), Pat pursued graduate studies (in Law) at Berkeley, California (on a competitive scholarship award), where she completed an LLM (comparative constitutional law). From there, she continued her graduate studies, moving to Switzerland (with an international scholarship) to study at the Graduate Institute of International Studies / University of Geneva (public international law, with a focus on water law). During her PhD research work, Pat was invited to be a visiting Research Fellow at the Max-Planck Institute for Comparative Public and International Law (Heidelberg, Germany) where she completed her PhD dissertation (the rules of international law that govern global transboundary water resources). From Heidelberg, Pat was recruited to Dundee where she established the graduate programme in water law and policy (1996). Since then, Dundee has established an international reputation in the area of water law and policy. Professor Wouters has published extensively and presented her work around the world, providing expert advice on water law and policy to public and private sectors, multilateral and bilateral agencies and regional development banks and UN bodies.
Pat serves on the International Advisory Committee for the United Nations University Institute of Water Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH); is a member of the Global Water Partnership Technical Experts Committee (GWP-TEC); a member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Water Security (WEF-GAC); a member of the SUEZ Foresight Advisory Committee; co-chair of the Legal Experts Group of the World Water Assessment Programme responsible for the World Water Development Report (UN-WWAP). Professor Wouters has provided expert advice on national and global water security issues to the UK government and has been involved in high-level diplomatic meetings on regional water security (the Abu-Dhabi talks; Beirut talks) and continues to advise national governments and public policy bodies on transboundary water security issues.
UNESCO IHP-HELP Programme –
Pat is afounding member of the HELP programme, which now has 67 basins around the world, and to which the IHP-HELP Centre both provides water law expertise and is the European Regional Coordinating institution.
Universities Partnership of Transboundary Waters - Pat is a founding member of Universities Partnership an international consortium of universities specialising in transboundary waters issues, with the IHP-HELP Centre one of the two European partners, contributing water law expertise.
Appointments / Awards
- World Economic Council – invited to be member of Global Think Tank Group on Global Water Scarcity.
- Global Water Partnership – named to Technical Experts Committee (TEC).
- World Water Assessment Programme – invited to co-chair Legal Experts Group for WWAP and World Water Development Report (Istanbul 2009)
- Foresight Advisory Committee (SUEZ); invited to be member.
- Scotland Committee of the UK National Committee of UNESCO; appointed to national board.
- Xiamen Asian Academy of International Law, invited to give lecture at inaugural session of the Academy (“New Dimensions of the International Law that governs shared Transboundary Waters”) 10-14 Sept 2006 (Xiamen, China).
- Invited as international expert on Expoagua Zaragoza 2008 to assist with planning for International Exhibition Zaragoza 2008, (14 June – 14 Sept 2008, Zaragoza, Spain).
- Fellow, International Water Resources Association
Research Interests
Professor Wouters is the IHP-HELP Centre's Chair in Water Law. Her current research focuses on the rule of law (in international law) and how it influences regional peace and security through its normative framework governing the world’s transboundary waters.
Research Focus:
- The relevance and role of water law in addressing the global water challenge (focus on operationalising the interdisciplinary interface of water law, policy and science; with an emphasis on poverty alleviation; and water security in international law);
- The rules of international law that govern transboundary watercourses (conflict avoidance; water security);
- Examining the interface of all areas of water law – international (transboundary); national (domestic legislation); transnational (water services governance / Public Priave Partnership);
Water law, Water Leaders – the role of local leadership in addressing the world’s water problems; how to develop “local leaders”.
Articles
- “Reframing the Water Security Dialogue”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2010). (with D. Tarlock)
- “Global Water Governance through Many Lenses”, 14:4 Global Governance (2008) 523-34.
- “A New Generation of Local Water Leaders”, 18:3 Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy (2007) 513-22.
- “Are Shared Benefits of International Waters an Equitable Ap-portionment?” 18:3 Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy (2007) 523-36 (with D.Tarlock)
- “What Lessons from Europe? A Comparative Analysis of the Legal Frameworks That Govern Europe’s Transboundary Waters”, 36:4 Environmental Law Reporter (2006) 10290- 309.
- “The New Development of Water Law in China”, 7:2 University of Denver Water Law Review (2004) 243-308 (with Desheng Hu, Jiebin Zhang, Dan Tarlock & Philip Andrews-Speed)
- “Towards Integrated Catchment Management: Increasing the Dialogue between Scientists, Policy-Makers and Stakeholders”, 20:3 International Journal of Water Resources Development (2004) 297-309 (with Malin Falkenmark, Lars Gottschalk & Jan Lundqvist)
- “The Role of International Water Law in Ensuring Good Water Governance: A Call for Renewed Focus and Action”, 15:3/4 Journal of Water Law (2004) 89-92 (with A. Rieu-Clarke)
- “What Role for Law in Achieving Transboundary Drainage Basin Security? The Development and Testing of the Legal Assessment Model (LAM) for Transboundary Watercourse States”, 49:7 Water Science and Technology (2004) 97-102.
- “What Role for Water Law in the Emerging “Good Governance” Debate?” 15:3/4 Journal of Water Law (2004) 85-88 (with A. Allan)
- “The Precautionary Principle – its relevance and application to the work of SEPA” (Scottish Universities Policy Research and Advice Network, 2002) (with Andrew Allan, J. Tait & A. Ross-Robertson)
- “The Legal Response to the World’s Water Crisis: What Legacy from the Hague? What Future in Kyoto?”, 4 University of Denver Water Law Review (2001) 418-25 (with Salman M. A. Salman & P. Jones)
- "The Role of International Water Law in Promoting Sustainable Development”, 12 Water Law (2001) 281-283 (with A. Rieu-Clarke)
- “Equitable and Sustainable Access to Water: National and International Water Law and Policy Issues”, 25 Water International (2000) 499.
- “The Relevance and Role of Water Law in the Sustainable Development of Fresh-water – from “Hydrosovereignty” to “Hydrosolidarity””, 25:2 Water International (2000) 202-207.
- “The Legal Response to International Water Conflicts: The UN Watercourses Convention and Beyond”, 42 German Yearbook of International Law (1999) 293-336.
- “Current Developments in the Law Relating to International Watercourses”, 86:2 Nacao e Defesa (1998) (with Thomas W. Wälde)
- “State Responsibility and the Energy Charter Treaty: The Rules Regarding State Enterprises, Entities, and Sub-national Authorities”, 2 Hofstra Law and Policy Symposium (1997) 117.
- “An Assessment of Recent Developments in International Watercourse Law through the Prism of the Substantive Rules Governing Use Allocation”, 36:2 Natural Resources Journal (1996) 417-439.
- “The Caspian Sea: Quest for a New Legal Regime”, 9:1 Leiden Journal of International Law (1996) 87-98 (with S. Vinogradov)
Books
- Implementing Integrated Water Resources Management in Central Asia Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Workshop on Integrated Water Resources Management in Transboundary Basins – an Interstate and Intersectoral Approach Held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 23-28 February 2004 (Springer, 2007) (with A. V. Dukhovny and A. Allan).
- Hydrology and Water Law: Bridging the Gap (IWA Publishing, 2006) (with J. Wallace.)
- Wouters, P., Selected Writings of Professor Charles B. Bourne (Kluwer Law International, 1998).
Book Chapters
- “Tackling the Global Water Crisis: Unlocking International Law as Fundamental to the Peaceful Management of the World’s Shared Transboundary Waters – Introducing the H 2 O Paradigm” in Quentin Grafton and Karen Hussy (eds), Water Resources Planning and Management: Challenges and Solutions (Cambridge University Press, 2011) (with D. Ziganshina).
- “The International Law of Watercourses: New Dimensions”, The Xiamen Academy of International Law, Collected Courses 2010, Volume 3, 349–541 (2011)
- “Water Security, Hydrosolidarity and International Law: A River Runs through It …”, in 19 Yearbook of International Environmental Law (2009) 97-134 (with S.Vinogradov & Bjørn-Oliver Magsig).
- “Water Security: What Role for International Water Law?”, in Felix Doddle(ed.), Human and Environmental Security: An Agenda for Change (Earthscan, 2005) 166-81.
- “Analysing the ECE Water Convention: What Lessons for the Regional Management of Transboundary Water Resources?”, in Olav Schram Stokke and Øystein B. Thommessen (eds), Yearbook of International Co-Operation on Environment and Development (Earthscan, 2003) 55-63 (with S. Vinogradov)
- “Trade Sanctions under Multilateral Environmental Protection Agreements” in Peter H. Sand and Michael Bothe (eds), Environmental Policy: From Regulation to Economic Instruments (Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2003) 159-89.
- “Universal and Regional Approaches to Resolving International Water Disputes: What Lessons Learned from State Practice?”, in International Bureau of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (ed.), Resolution of International Water Disputes (Kluwer Law International, 2003) 111-154.
- “Allocation of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses: Efforts at Codification and the Experience of Canada and the United States”, 30 Canadian Yearbook of International Law (1992) 43.
Reports
- Water Security: Global, Regional and Local Challenges , Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPC) for the Commission on National Security in the 21st Century (2010).
- Sharing Transboundary Waters: An Integrated Assessment of Equitable Entitlement: The Legal Assessment Model (UNESCO, 2005) (with S. Vinogradov, A. Allan, P. Jones & A. Rieu-Clarke)
- Transforming Potential Conflict into Cooperation Potential: The Role of International Water Law (UNESCO, 2003) (with S. Vinogradov & P. Jones)
- Geneva Strategy and Framework for Monitoring Compliance with Agreements on Trans-boundary Waters: Elements of a Proposed Compliance Review Procedure Expert’s Report, UN Doc. MP. WAT/2000/5 and Add.1, (1999)
Series Editor
i) Kluwer International and National Water Law Book Series
- Volume 1: Patricia Wouters, International Water Law – Selected Writings of Professor Charles B. Bourne (Kluwer Law International, 1998).
- Volume 2: William, S.G., Dividing the Waters. The Resolution of Interstate Water Conflicts in the United States (Kluwer Law International, 2000).
- Volume 3: Bogdanovic, S., International Law of Water Resources. Contribution of the International Law Association (195402000) (Kluwer Law International 2001).
- Volume 4: Tanzi, A., Arcari, M., The United Nations Convention on the Law of International Watercourses (Kluwer Law International, 2001).
- Volume 5: Delmon, J., Water Projects. A Commercial and Contractual Guide (Kluwer Law International, 2001).
- Volume 6: Kibaroglu, A., Building a Regime for the Waters of the Euphrates-Tigris River Basin (Kluwer Law International, 2002).
- Volume 7: Salman M.A., Uprety, K., Conflict and Cooperation on South Asia”s International Rivers (Kluwer Law International, 2002).
- Volume8: Caponera, D.A., National and International Water Law and Administration. Selected Writings (Kluwer Law International, 2003).
ii) IWA Publishing Water Law and Policy Book Series (P. Wouters & S. Vinogradov, Series Editors)
- Rieu-Clarke, A., International Law and Sustainable Development (2005).
- Daibes-Murad, F., A New Legal Framework for Managing the World”s Shared Groundwaters (2005).
- Hu, D., Water Rights (2006).
- Mandri-Perrott, C., Public and Private Participation in the Water and Wastewater Sector (2009).
- Gooch, G.D., Rieu-Clarke, A., & Stalnacke P., (eds), Integrating Water Resources Management Interdisciplinary Methodologies and Strategies in Practice (2010).
iii) Journal of Water Law (Guest Editor, Special Issue 2009)
- Wouters, P., & Hendry, S., “Addressing the world’s water problems – a focus on inter-national and national water law and the challenges of an integrated approach”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 45.
- Tarlock, D., & Wouters, P.,”Reframing the Water Security Dialogue”,20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 53.
- Magsig, B., “Introducing an analytical framework for water security: a platform for the refinement of international water law”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 61.
- Liguori, T., “The principle of good faith in the Argentina-Uruguay pulp mills dispute”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 70.
- Azulay, M., “Examining the thresholds of harm for international watercourses in the Canada-US context Would a mining development in the Flathead River watershed violate the Boundary Waters Treaty?”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 76.
- Abseno, M., “The concepts of equitable utilization, no significant harm and benefit sharing under the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement: some highlights on theory and practice”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 86.
- Ziganshina, D., “International water law in Central Asia: commitments, compliance and beyond”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 96.
- Daza, M., “Protection of foreign investment and the implications for regulation of water services and resources: challenges for investment arbitration”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 108.
- Grimes, H.J., “Responding to the “water crisis”: the complementary roles of water governance and the human right to water”,20 Journal of Water Law (2009)119.
- Al”Afghani, M., “The transparency agenda in water utilities regulation and the role of freedom of information: England and Jakarta case studies”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 129.
- Tran, T., “Valuing water in law: how can Indigenous cultural values be reconciled with Australia”s water law in order to strengthen Indigenous water rights?”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 144.
- Tremblay, H., “An analytical framework for legal regimes applicable to freshwater ecosystems”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 152.
- Spray, C., Ball, T., & Rouillard, J., “Bridging the water law, policy, science interface: flood risk management in Scotland”, 20 Journal of Water Law (2009) 165.
Conference Talks
Professor Wouters has presented her work on water law around the world, in some 50 countries. She has hosted a number of international symposia in Dundee (see conferences list) and convened special sessions at the World Water Forums in the Hague, Kyoto and Mexico and is involved with preparations for the Istanbul (2009) World Water Forum.
Project Work and Policy Outreach
Asian Development Bank and World Bank Central Asia (Aral Sea).
EU project: STRIVER (IHP-HELP Centre lead is Dr Alistair Rieu-Clarke)
EU project: Brahmatwinn (IHP-HELP Centre lead is Dr Alistair Rieu-Clarke)
EU project: INWAMA (IHP-HELP Centre lead is Andrew Allan)
DFID MENA project - An integrated inter-disciplinary approach for managing shared waters in the Middle East and North Africa – the Transboundary Analytical Framework. (collaborative research with CeH Wallingford and Newcastle University)
DFID KAR Project – publication noted above; “Sharing Transboundary Waters – An Integrated Assessment of Equitable Entitlement: The Legal Assessment Model”.
DFID Central Asia – series of lectures on water law delivered in Uzbekistan for regional Aral Sea countries.
NATO Advanced Research Workshops (Moscow; Kyrgyztan).
World Bank (China, Namibia, Uganda, Mozambique, Zambia) Bank (Mekong River commission)
UNECE Experts Report -- Geneva Strategy and Framework for Monitoring Compliance with Agreements on Transboundary Waters: Elements of a Proposed Compliance Review Procedure, (Expert’s Report), UN Doc. MP. WAT/2000/5 and Add. 1.
UNESCO IHP-HELP programme; founding member and active on 67 HELP basins around the world.
UNESCO IHP-PCCP - Transforming Potential Conflict into Cooperation Potential: The Role of International Water Law".
UN WMO – Legal experts report on flooding (authors of legal inputs: Dr Alistair Rieu-Clarke and Andrew Allan)
Bilateral donor projects: have worked with a number of bilateral donors in their work on water around the world.
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