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Abstract
Employing an international and comparative analysis of international law as well as the domestic legal regimes of selected jurisdictions, i.e., China, South Africa and South Australia, Water Rights - An International and Comparative Study identifies the essential elements a well-structured water rights system, which ensures that the multiple functions of water resources are reasonably balanced, and the competing water needs are properly taken into consideration, and under which the economic, social and environmental values of water resources co-exist equitably in harmony. This book is the first to discuss water rights holistically, i.e., putting the three aspects of water rights (the property right of water resources, the human right to water and the environmental right to water) into a single, well-organised water rights system under the principle of sustainable development. Following the Introduction, Water Rights has six chapters. Chapter Two develops an analytical approach to be applied in the following four chapters. After the problems concerning water rights in China are identified, the three aspects of water rights both in international law and domestic water laws of South Africa and South Australia are discussed. In Chapter Six, principles and structure that should be employed for designing an ideal water rights system or improving and perfecting an existing one are recommended. With these recommendations, the definitions of water resources and the three aspects of water rights are analysed. Specific amendments to the China Water Law 2002 are proposed. Finally, this work concludes with explanations of the basis for the recommendations presented. This book will be a valuable reference for all those concerned with water rights, including lawyers, hydrologists and water resources managers.
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbreviations | xii | ||
| 1.0 Introduction | xv | ||
| 2.0 Water resources and water rights: overview | xxiii | ||
| 2.1\tWATER RESOURCES AND ITS UTILISATION | xxiii | ||
| 2.1.1\tDefinition of water resource | xxiv | ||
| 2.1.1.1\tWater properties | xxiv | ||
| 2.1.1.2\tHydrologic cycle | xxiv | ||
| 2.1.1.3\tWater quantity and location | xxv | ||
| 2.1.1.4\tWater resource: definitions from non-legal perspective | xxvi | ||
| 2.1.2\tUtilisation of Water Resources | xxviii | ||
| 2.1.2.1\tWater use and its categories | xxix | ||
| 2.1.2.2\tThe process of utilisation of water resources | xxxi | ||
| 2.1.3\tConclusion | xxxii | ||
| 2.2\tEVOLUTION OF WATER RIGHTS | xxxiii | ||
| 2.2.1\tWater rights: a changing concept | xxxiii | ||
| 2.2.2\tPre-administration system period | xxxv | ||
| 2.2.2.1\tWater rights under Roman law | xxxv | ||
| 2.2.2.2\tThe riparian rights doctrine | xxxvii | ||
| 2.2.2.3\tThe prior appropriation doctrine | xlii | ||
| 2.2.2.4\tConclusion | xliii | ||
| 2.2.3\tAdministration system period | xlv | ||
| 2.3\tWATER RIGHTS: THE PROPERTY RIGHT ON WATER RESOURCES | xlvi | ||
| 2.4\tWATER RIGHTS: THE HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER | xlviii | ||
| 2.4.1\tIntroduction | xlviii | ||
| 2.4.2\tState practice | l | ||
| 2.4.2.1\tDomestic law | l | ||
| 2.4.2.2\tDomestic policy | li | ||
| 2.4.3\tConclusion | liii | ||
| 2.5\tWATER RIGHTS: THE ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHT TO WATER | liii | ||
| 2.5.1\tThe intrinsic value and the right of the environment | lv | ||
| 2.5.2\tThe legal status of the environmental right to water | lvii | ||
| 2.6\tCONCLUSION | lix | ||
| 3.0 Water rights in China | lx | ||
| 3.1\tWATER RESOURCES SITUATION IN CHINA | lxi | ||
| 3.1.1\tWater resources and its utilisation | lxi | ||
| 3.1.2\tMain issues in water utilisation | lxiv | ||
| 3.2\tCHINESE LEGAL SYSTEM: AN OVERVIEW | lxvii | ||
| 3.2.1\tEvolution of Chinese legal system | lxvii | ||
| 3.2.2\tLegislative bodies and hierarchy of laws | lxxi | ||
| 3.2.3\tCurrent Chinese legal system | lxxiv | ||
| 3.2.4\tWater legal norms | lxxv | ||
| 3.3\tDEFINITION OF WATER RESOURCE | lxxx | ||
| 3.3.1\tWhat is water resource? | lxxx | ||
| 3.3.2\tDifference between “water” and “water resource”? | lxxxi | ||
| 3.4\tPROPERTY RIGHT ON WATER RESOURCES | lxxxii | ||
| 3.4.1\tOwnership on water resources | lxxxii | ||
| 3.4.1.1\tLegal provisions | lxxxii | ||
| 3.4.1.2\tPractice | lxxxii | ||
| 3.4.2\tRight to draw water and use right on water resources | lxxxv | ||
| 3.4.2.1\tRight to draw water and water-drawing licence system | lxxxvi | ||
| 3.4.2.2\tMWR’s actions relating to water rights and its transfer | lxxxix | ||
| 3.4.3\tProblems identified | xcii | ||
| 3.4.3.1\tOwnership other than the State ownership | xcii | ||
| 3.4.3.2\tWaters in reservoirs | xcii | ||
| 3.4.3.3\tHolder of the State ownership | xcii | ||
| 3.4.3.4\tTransfer of water property rights | xciii | ||
| 3.4.3.5\tNature of the right to draw water | xciii | ||
| 3.4.3.6\tWater rights: an inconsistent term from MWR | xciv | ||
| 3.5\tTHE HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER | xciv | ||
| 3.5.1\tLegal provisions | xciv | ||
| 3.5.1.1\tGeneral provisions | xciv | ||
| 3.5.1.2\tDrinking-water sources conservation system | xcvi | ||
| 3.5.2\tPractice | xcvii | ||
| 3.5.3\tProblems identified | xcviii | ||
| 3.6\tTHE ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHT TO WATER | xcix | ||
| 3.6.1\tLegal provisions | xcix | ||
| 3.6.1.1\tGeneral provisions | xcix | ||
| 3.6.1.2\tSpecial provisions | c | ||
| 3.6.2\tPractice | ci | ||
| 3.6.2.1\tGeneral situation | ci | ||
| 3.6.2.2\tCase one: Ecological import of water for the Nansihu Lake | cii | ||
| 3.6.2.3\tCase two: South-to-North Water Diversion Project | ciii | ||
| 3.6.3\tProblems identified | cv | ||
| 3.7 CONCLUSION | cv | ||
| 4.0 Influence of International law | cvii | ||
| 4.1\tINTRODUCTION | cviii | ||
| 4.2\tTHE HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER | cxi | ||
| 4.2.1\tThe legal status of the human right to water | cxi | ||
| 4.2.2\tThe legal content of the human right to water | cxviii | ||
| 4.2.3\tThe obligations of the States | cxix | ||
| 4.2.3.1\tGeneral legal obligations | cxx | ||
| 4.2.3.2\tSpecific legal obligations | cxx | ||
| 4.2.3.3\tCore obligations | cxxi | ||
| 4.2.4\tImplementation at national level | cxxi | ||
| 4.2.4.1\tFormulation of legislation, strategies and policies | cxxii | ||
| 4.2.4.2\tIndicators and benchmarks | cxxii | ||
| 4.2.4.3\tRemedies and accountability | cxxii | ||
| 4.3\tTHE ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHT TO WATER | cxxiii | ||
| 4.3.1\tThe legal status of the environmental right to water | cxxiv | ||
| 4.3.2\tThe legal content of the environmental right to water | cxxxi | ||
| 4.3.3\tThe obligations of the States | cxxxiii | ||
| 4.3.3.1\tGeneral legal obligations | cxxxiii | ||
| 4.3.3.2\tSpecific legal obligations | cxxxiv | ||
| 4.3.3.3\tCore obligations | cxxxvi | ||
| 4.3.4\tImplementation at national level | cxxxvi | ||
| 4.3.4.1\tFormulation of legislation, strategies and policies | cxxxvii | ||
| 4.3.4.2\tIndicators and benchmarks | cxxxix | ||
| 4.4\tCONCLUSION | cxxxix | ||
| 5.0 Water rights systems in South Africa and Southern Australia | cxli | ||
| 5.1\tJUSTIFICATION OF SELECTION | cxli | ||
| 5.2\tLEGAL REGIME IN SOUTH AFRICA | cxliv | ||
| 5.2.1\tGeneral introduction | cxliv | ||
| 5.2.2\tWater resource and water use | cxlix | ||
| 5.2.2.1\tWater resource | cxlix | ||
| 5.2.2.2\tWater use | cl | ||
| 5.2.3\tThe human right to water | cli | ||
| 5.2.3.1\tThe water required to meet basic human needs as a human right | clii | ||
| 5.2.3.2\tThe right of access to basic water services | cliv | ||
| 5.2.4\tThe environmental right to water | clvi | ||
| 5.3\tLEGAL REGIME IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA | clx | ||
| 5.3.1\tGeneral introduction | clx | ||
| 5.3.2\tDefinition of water resource | clxv | ||
| 5.3.3\tProperty right on water resources | clxvi | ||
| 5.3.3.1\tThe right to take water | clxvi | ||
| 5.3.3.2\tWater licence | clxviii | ||
| 5.3.4\tThe environmental right to water | clxxii | ||
| 5.4\tCONCLUSION | clxxix | ||
| 6.0 Comments and observations on Water Rights Systems | clxxxi | ||
| 6.1\tPRINCIPLES AND STRUCTURE FOR AN IDEAL WATER RIGHTS SYSTEM | clxxxii | ||
| 6.1.1\tPrinciples | clxxxii | ||
| 6.1.2\tStructure | clxxxvi | ||
| 6.2\tDEFINITION OF WATER RESOURCE | clxxxvii | ||
| 6.3\tPROPERTY RIGHT ON WATER RESOURCES | clxxxix | ||
| 6.3.1\tOwnership on water resources | cxc | ||
| 6.3.2\tOther types of property rights on water resources | cxci | ||
| 6.3.3\tAdvantage of applying the design in China | cxciii | ||
| 6.4\tTHE HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER | cxciv | ||
| 6.4.1\tThe human right to water shall be clearly declared in water law | cxciv | ||
| 6.4.2\tThe human right to water shall be given the first priority | cxciv | ||
| 6.4.3\tThe legal content of the human right to water shall be defined | cxcv | ||
| 6.5\tTHE ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHT TO WATER | cxcv | ||
| 6.5.1\tThe environmental right to water shall be clearly acknowledged in water law | cxcvii | ||
| 6.5.2\tThe environmental right to water shall be given a proper priority | cxcvii | ||
| 6.5.3\tThe general legal content of the environmental right to water shall be defined | cxcviii | ||
| 6.5.4\tConcrete provisions shall be provided | cxcviii | ||
| 6.6\tRECOMMENDATIONS | cxcix | ||
| 6.6.1\tOn Article 2(2) | cxcix | ||
| 6.6.2\tOn Article 3 | cc | ||
| 6.6.3\tObtaining of ownership on water resources | cc | ||
| 6.6.4\tObtaining usufruct on water resources | cci | ||
| 6.6.5\tTransfer of the right to draw water under a licence | cci | ||
| 6.6.6\tThe human right to water | ccii | ||
| 6.6.7\tThe environmental right to water | ccii | ||
| 6.6.8\tOn Article 4 | ccii | ||
| 6.6.9\tMinimum proper water for the important parts of the environment | cciii |