Teymurov E.S. Obligation not to cause significant damage within the system of principles of use and protection of freshwater resources

Abstract: This article examines the principle of not causing significant damage to another country during the use of transboundary freshwater sources, its legal content, including the obligation of each state, concept of damage, its limitations, as well as its correlation with the principles of fair and reasonable use of freshwater resources, prevention of polluting the environment, implementation of safety measures, “polluter pays”, and the responsibility to assess transboundary effects. The author analyzes the universal and regional international treaties, as well as bilateral agreements with Russia. As a result of the conducted research, the author determines that the principle of not causing significant damage includes in itself not only the obligation to prevent damage, but also containing the damage in the event that it has occurred, liquidating it, and compensating any damages. The damages should be understood as loss of life due to impact to human health, loss of or harm to property, damage to the environment, as well as expenses for reasonable measures of restoration to the previous state of property or the environment.

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