CONFLICT AND COOPERATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN SOUTH ASIA

This article explores the dual dynamics of conflict and cooperation on environmental issues in the South Asian region. It identifies the major transboundary environmental challenges facing the region, with a primary focus on the management of shared water resources, cross-border air pollution, and the conservation of biodiversity in shared ecosystems like the Sundarbans. The study analyzes the sources of conflict, which are often rooted in the upstream-downstream dynamics of river basins and the perception of a zero-sum game over resource allocation. The research also highlights the emerging areas of cooperation, both at the bilateral level and within the nascent environmental framework of SAARC. The paper argues that the growing recognition of the shared ecological vulnerability of the region is creating new imperatives for cooperation. The analysis concludes that effective management of the South Asian environment requires a significant political commitment to move from a paradigm of conflict to one of cooperative, regional stewardship.

South Asia is a region of immense ecological diversity, but also one of shared and acute environmental vulnerability. This paper examines the complex interplay of conflict and cooperation that characterizes the region's approach to environmental issues. The first part of the study focuses on the dimensions of conflict. The most significant area of conflict analyzed is the sharing of transboundary water resources, epitomized by the long-standing disputes over the Ganges and other major rivers. The paper argues that these conflicts are driven by a combination of resource scarcity, power asymmetries between upper and lower riparian states, and a lack of effective institutional mechanisms for joint management. The second part of the paper explores the potential and the nascent reality of environmental cooperation. It examines the initial steps taken under the SAARC framework to address environmental concerns, including the commissioning of studies and the creation of technical committees. The study also looks at bilateral cooperative efforts in areas like conservation of the Sundarbans mangrove forest, shared between Bangladesh and India. The findings suggest that while the discourse of conflict has historically dominated, the sheer scale of the environmental challenges facing all countries in the region is creating a powerful new logic for cooperation. The paper concludes that a fundamental shift in political mindset is required to build the trust and the institutions necessary to manage the region's shared environmental destiny.