ENVIRONMENTAL WATER POLICIES AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THE TRIPLE BORDER OF BRAZIL, COLOMBIA AND PERU IN THE UPPER SOLIMÕES RIVER

Abstract

Water resource management in transboundary regions constitutes a complex challenge that demands integrated and cooperative approaches, particularly in the Amazon, where water abundance contrasts with institutional and governance deficiencies. The Brazil-Colombia-Peru triple border region in the Upper Solimões River presents unique characteristics that justify in-depth investigation of water environmental policies and sustainability, considering the interdependence of shared resources and the diversity of involved actors. This study aims to understand the multiple use of water and its management form in the Upper Solimões River region, considering the peculiarities of the three involved countries. The methodology adopts a qualitative approach, combining documentary research, scientometric analysis of 27 scientific publications, and semi-structured interviews with representatives of key institutions in regional water management. Thematic content analysis allows identification of emerging categories related to the research specific objectives. Results evidence institutional fragmentation, limited transboundary cooperation, and significant structural challenges related to water quality, basic sanitation, and climate vulnerability. Scientometric analysis reveals growth in academic production on the theme, with predominance of Brazilian studies and asymmetries among countries. Interviews confirm recurring problems of waste management, water pollution, and absence of effective coordination mechanisms among countries. Climate change emerges as an amplifying factor of existing problems, altering hydrological regimes and affecting regional biodiversity. The study concludes that water resource sustainability in the triple border fundamentally depends on strengthening transboundary cooperation, developing local institutional capacities, and integrating traditional knowledge into management strategies, offering empirical subsidies for formulating more effective public policies.