Models of regulating water in transboundary river basins: A nexus of hydropolitics and electricity trade


Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi, Uluslararası İlişkiler Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2018

Öğrenci: HALİL BURAK SAKAL

Danışman: OKTAY FIRAT TANRISEVER

Özet:

The central topic of this study is the nexus between water and hydroelectricity. The main issue discussed here is how economic activity influences and is being influenced by water management, hydroelectricity production and electricity trade in key trans-boundary river basins. The unit of analysis is the state, the limits of which are defined by modern political boundaries; and the geographically demarcated river basins that involve the selected cases are subject to evaluation in broader context. In terms of energy trade relations, the primary focus is on the dyadic interconnections between the riparians, although basin-wide regional electricity trade relations are discussed in a complementary manner. The research question this study aims to address is how and to what degree state-level water management policies affect and are being affected by the dyad-level hydro-power trade. The initial hypothesis tested is that there is a dialectical and inverse rela-tionship between the level of trade (or sharing) of hydroelectricity between political units in a transboundary river basin and the number and severity of water-induced and mostly economy based dyadic issue areas between riparians. The findings of the study confirm the hypothesis. This thesis assumes that there are some factors that may augment or impede the se-verity and the number issue areas between the riparians in key river basins, and also, that may increase or decrease the level of hydropower traded across boundaries. These are the geographical features of the cases; institutional and legal frameworks that deal with water, energy and environment issues in specific river basins; the vary-ing nature of backgrounds based on environmental histories; and the structure and size of the economic activity within a river basin. The chapters of this study are de-signed in accordance, with the focus being on the economic aspects of dams, which play a decisive role in water management, economic development, and hydropower production.