Damming the commons: An empirical analysis of international cooperation and conflict in dam location

Sheila M. Olmstead; Hilary Sigman

doi:10.1086/683205

Damming the commons: An empirical analysis of international cooperation and conflict in dam location

Sheila M. Olmstead, Hilary Sigman

School of Arts and Sciences, Economics

Rutgers, The State University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper examines whether countries consider the welfare of other nations when they make water development decisions. We estimate econometric models of the location of major dams around the world as a function of the degree of international sharing of rivers. We find that dams are more prevalent in areas of river basins some distance upstream of foreign countries, supporting the view that countries free ride in exploiting water resources. We find some evidence that international institutions, in particular multinational financing and international water management treaties, may mitigate this free riding.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	497-526
Number of pages	30
Journal	Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists
Volume	2
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/683205
State	Published - Dec 1 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Economics and Econometrics
Nature and Landscape Conservation
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Keywords

Common pool
Dams
Free riding
International rivers
Treaties
Water impoundment

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10.1086/683205

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AB - This paper examines whether countries consider the welfare of other nations when they make water development decisions. We estimate econometric models of the location of major dams around the world as a function of the degree of international sharing of rivers. We find that dams are more prevalent in areas of river basins some distance upstream of foreign countries, supporting the view that countries free ride in exploiting water resources. We find some evidence that international institutions, in particular multinational financing and international water management treaties, may mitigate this free riding.

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KW - Treaties

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Damming the commons: An empirical analysis of international cooperation and conflict in dam location

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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