432 Journal of the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies N. 5 / 2015 In 2004, the International Law Association (ILA) adopted the “Rules on Water Resources” document34 in Berlin. The document sets out regulations for nations to follow with respect to water within their boundaries and water they may share; it regulates behaviour in wartime, when nations are not permitted to take action that may result in a shortage of life-sustaining water for civilians, unless a nation being invaded is compelled by military emergency to disable its own water supply, or that may cause undue ecological damage. Poisoning water necessary for survival is in all cases forbidden. The main objective of the document is to ensure the right of every individual to equal access to water to sustain life without discrimination, even in times of war. It requires states to enable their citizens to participate in decisions affecting water access, and also mandates the compensation of those who are displaced in the interests of securing water preservation. In conclusion, we can say that there are numerous shared river basins (figure 3), and that in many cases no agreements or partial agreements have been signed between the countries concerned. Four of the world’s largest river basins (the Amazon, Ganges, Congo and Orinoco) are shared.35 Figure 3: International water conventions and treaties.36 34 INTERNATIONAL LAW ASSOCIATION (ILA). Law on Water Resources. Project presented at the Berlin Conference, 4–21 August 2004. 35 Conclusiones 3er foro 2008 Agua para el Desarrollo, Cooperación en cuencas Internacionales. Ed. Fundación Canal, Madrid 2008, p. 17. 36 Fernández Jáuregui C, Crespo Milliet A (2009). Las aguas transfronterizas en el marco de la crisis mundial del agua. Fundación Agbar, Barcelona, p 9. http://revista.ieee.es/index.php/ieee
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