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The Guarani Aquifer: scientific diplomacy in action

By IW:LEARN

March 27^th, 2025

Building trust through knowledge

The history of the Guarani Aquifer is a testament to the power of scientific diplomacy in managing shared resources. Spanning over one million square kilometers beneath Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, this aquifer represents one of the world's largest freshwater reserves. However, its long-term sustainability depends on management cooperation among the countries that share it. Over decades, science has served as the bridge enabling these states to develop a dialogue based on data and shared knowledge. As Jorge Rucks, a key consultant in the process, stated:

"By having universities conduct joint and coordinated research, and by sharing this information among all stakeholders from the four countries, trust was built among those responsible, the authorities involved in the project’s work, and it ensured that negotiations were based on knowledge. One does not negotiate what one does not know."

The Guarani Aquifer agreement: a framework for regional cooperation

In 2010, the four SAG countries signed the Guarani Aquifer Agreement, a milestone in scientific diplomacy that established principles for the joint management of the resource, equitable water use, and environmental monitoring. The agreement's enactment in 2024 strengthens a cooperation framework that promotes the exchange of technical information, the prevention of transboundary impacts, and the development of joint scientific projects.

The agreement was an important response of the Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development of the Guarani Aquifer System Project (PSAG) (2003–2009), financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This multinational effort consolidated scientific research on the aquifer and established the Strategic Action Program (SAP) with key action lines for sustainable use.

From knowledge to action: the GEF MSP Guarani Project

To implement and update the SAP, considering climate change, ecosystem services, and gender perspectives, the countries gathered and developed a Medium-Sized Guarani Aquifer System Project (2022-2025): “Implementation of the Strategic Action Program for the Guarani Aquifer System”, focusing efforts by creating a monitoring network and harmonizing cooperative actions and mechanisms among the four countries. As the executing agency, UNESCO played a key role in project administration, promoting dialogue among academics, governments, and users with the support of the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This project promotes cross-border cooperation and marks the milestone of creating an integrated Monitoring Network pilot that allows countries to collect, share, and analyze critical information about the aquifer.

This process not only provided a legal basis for transboundary cooperation, based on the sovereignty of each country, but also underscored the crucial role of shared knowledge. As Rucks highlighted:

"One of the greatest lessons learned from the project (PSAG) was that simultaneous and joint knowledge of the resource’s characteristics by all four countries enabled a fruitful and constructive dialogue among them."

Building water bridges: The Guarani Aquifer Monitoring Network

One of the main milestones of the MSP Project was the creation of an integrated Monitoring Network, allowing for the collection, sharing, and analysis of critical information about the aquifer. Nora Lucioni, a consultant specializing in geospatial information systems, emphasized:

"Achieving data integration among the four countries and ensuring the interoperability of monitoring systems was both a technical and diplomatic process."

The system operates using georeferencing technology, enabling the visualization of patterns on interactive maps and anticipating issues such as overexploitation and contamination. According to Miguel Doria, a UNESCO regional specialist:

"The Network not only anticipates problems such as overexploitation and contamination but also guarantees transparency and public access to critical information, a key aspect of environmental diplomacy."

This monitoring network has facilitated evidence-based decision-making and enabled the development of technical capacities and training in water resource management. Workshops and regional meetings have been key in training experts from the four countries in hydrological modeling tools and remote monitoring technologies.

Scientific diplomacy and dialogue with communities

The PPM Project also promoted dialogue with Indigenous communities through events such as the Regional Dialogue Workshop with Indigenous Peoples, held in Posadas, Argentina. In these meetings, communities were able to share their knowledge on water management and discuss strategies to strengthen SAG governance from an inclusive and sustainable perspective. These interactions have been fundamental in incorporating ancestral knowledge into public policy planning for water management.

The Guarani Aquifer: scientific diplomacy in action

A sustainable and replicable future

The Guarani Aquifer management model can be replicated in other transboundary water systems, setting a precedent in scientific diplomacy. During the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Latin American experts presented the PPM Project's progress, demonstrating how transboundary cooperation and capacity-building can enhance water resource governance.

For Ricardo Burg, International Coordinator of the Project:

"The dialogue and exchange between countries allow us to jointly define priorities and steps for updating the SAP, moving forward with determination in the transboundary cooperation of the Guarani Aquifer."

The Guarani Aquifer experience shows that natural resources can be managed equitably and sustainably when science and policy work together, ensuring water for future generations.

About the project

The purpose of this project is to help the countries accelerate the implementation of the regional actions proposed in the Strategic Action Plan. Additionally, to establish the technical coordination frameworks and tools essential for the long-term sustainability of the resource and to comply with the provisions of the Guarani Agreement.

The GEF grant fund was managed through the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), as an Implementing Agency, and it has been agreed that the international Executing Agency will be UNESCO, through its Regional Science Office in Montevideo, which administers the funds and has set up a Project Coordination Unit (PCU), with the technical support of the Regional Center for Groundwater Management (CeReGAS).