A survey of international law relating to flood management: existing practices and future prospects

Numerous human and environmental factors threaten to increase the likelihood and magnitude of floods throughout the world. At present, the law of international watercourses provides the basic norms by which states cooperate over flood-related matters. More specific provisions related to flood management can be found in a limited number of regional and basin-specific treaties. Within the European context, examples include the recently adopted Floods Directive and the Model Provisions of the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe Helsinki Convention. However, much more effort is needed to learn lessons from existing practices to enhance the legal framework for managing transboundary floods.