The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) basin countries, which include Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India and Nepal, are endowed with rich natural resources like rivers and forests which span across political boundaries. For example, the transboundary rivers of the GBM basins, support the lives and livelihoods of more than 670 million people. The region is one of the most water-stressed region and climate change impacts are further exacerbating the water, food and energy security of the region. Most of these drivers and impacts are transboundary in nature and hence the need for better cooperation mechanisms at the basin and regional level.
Non-cooperation over shared waters governance in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) basin results in basin countries losing over USD 14.2 billion annually. Such a high cost of non-cooperation in one of the most climate-stressed regions warrants for more urgent action by various stakeholders to improve and sustain cooperation on shared waters and associated natural resources.