Geography & Water Governance in South America | Dr. Luis Paulo Batista da Silva

How does geography shape regional integration in South America? And what happens when shared rivers, aquifers, and environmental systems cut across the neat boundaries of nation-states?

🎙️ In the first part of a two-part conversation, Dr. Ivo Ganchev speaks with Dr. Luis Paulo Batista da Silva (UFF), a geographer specializing in transboundary water governance, hydro-politics, and climate governance, to explore:

· Why geography offers a distinct lens on regional integration, especially through territory, border regions, and material interdependence

· What transboundary water governance means in practice, and why it matters so much in South America

· The strategic importance of the Amazon River Basin, the La Plata Basin, and the Guarani Aquifer System

· The successes and limits of treaties and institutions designed to govern shared water resources

· Why implementing agreements is often far harder than signing them

· How governance operates across multiple levels, from local stakeholders and subnational actors to national governments and regional organizations

· The emerging significance of “flying rivers” and why atmospheric water flows may become a bigger part of regional debate

· How power asymmetries shape hydro-diplomacy, especially in negotiations involving Brazil and smaller neighbours

· What the Itaipu Dam reveals about bargaining power, treaty renegotiation, and the unresolved politics of shared infrastructure

· Whether Brazil sees water governance as a real strategic priority, and how this connects to broader questions of regional leadership

🎧 New Regional Orders is the official podcast of the Centre for Regional Integration, hosted by Dr. Ivo Ganchev. Each season focuses on a different world region, unpacking the political, economic, social, and geographic factors that drive regional change.

🔗 Learn More:

Centre for Regional Integration: https://regionalintegration.org

Dr. Ivo Ganchev: https://ivoganchev.com

Dr. Luis Paulo Batista da Silva (Google Scholar): https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=bo13geYAAAAJ&hl=en

Dr. Luis Paulo Batista da Silva’s Bio: https://bv.fapesp.br/pt/pesquisador/699379/luis-paulo-batista-da-silva/