Transboundary rivers are increasingly being drawn upon to meet the needs of growing populations and economies. This increased pressure on the available water resources sharpens competing
demands between countries, rural and urban areas, different user groups, and the river ecosystems themselves. The challenge is to balance these competing demands in a way that is equitable and

Political boundaries do not limit the movement of biological resources and knowledge. Countries in the Himalayan region share common biological resources and traditional knowledge, and protection and sustainable use cannot be planned effectively by single countries in isolation.

This paper explores two propositions regarding international river basins: cooperative development of international rivers offers unique economic advantages over unilateral development; and benefit sharing is a necessary condition for facilitating this cooperation.