Water Governance and the Institutional framework underpinning water resource management Flashcards
Governance: what are the comprises of the authority and which are from the citizens?
the exercise of authority …to manage country’s affairs
Comprises:
- Regulatory and other mechanism
- Administrative and other processes
- institutions
Through which citizens and groups:
- articulate their interests
- exercise legal rights
- meet obligations
- mediate differences
Conditions of a Governance
Some necessary conditions:
– inclusiveness
– accountability
– participation
– transparency
– predictability
– responsiveness
Consequences poor governance
increased political and social risk
– institutional failure
– deterioration in capacity to cope with problems
• Effective governance better development outcomes
Principles for managing resources
- Define clear boundaries of the Group.
- Match rules governing use of common goods to local needs and conditions.
- Ensure that those affected by the rules can participate in modifying the rules.
- Ensure the rule‐making rights of community members are respected by external authorities.
- Develop a system for monitoring members’ behaviour by other group members.
- Use a graduated system of sanctions for rule violators.
- Provide access to low‐cost means for dispute resolution.
- Where part of a larger system, organise responsibility for governing the common resource in multiple layers of nested enterprises.
What is water governance?
The range of political, social, economic and
administrative systems that are in place to develop
and manage water resources, and the delivery of
water services, at different levels of society (GWP
2002)
The range of legal, policy and administrative arrangements to
ensure that the purposes are achieved.
Why do we need water governance?
-
Effective management for water security
- Access
- Quality
- Sufficiency
- Efficient use
- Sustainability of resource
- Healthy ecosystems
-
Avoid potential national impacts:
- Health of population
- Economy
Any country or industry that wants to stay competitive must properly manage its water to ensure a long term supply and to avoid exposure to crises ( L. Auguste, Pres & CEO, Veolia Water Americas 28 Feb 2013)
- Sustainability of natural environment
- Intra‐country relationships
- Avoid international disputes
Waht types of aspect results in a Poor water governance?
Results from (a combination of):
- Weak legislation
- Weak institutional arrangements
- insufficient investment and resources
- Poorly enforced legislation
- Failure to engage community to participate
- Poor accountability mechanisms
- Corruption
Good water governance (necessaty conditions)
- Political will
- – Well designed policy and legislation
- – Institutional capacity
- – Cooperative management
- – Adaptive management
- – Transparency
- – Participation
- – Accountability
- – Private sector cooperation
- – Access to legal recourse
Elements of a implementation of a water reform
Objectices => Policy framework => Laws => Management plans => dissemination => implementation => Enforce / Resolve disputes => Review and revise
Objectives of a Integrated water resources management
Is expressed to be a means to ensure the:
– equitable
– economically sound, and
– environmentally sustainable …
management of water resources and provision of water services
Definition of IWRM:
A process which promotes the coordinated development and management of
water, land and related resources, in order to maximise the resultant economic
and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the
sustainability of vital ecosystems.
What does IWRM envolve?
Involves recognising water
– as a precious, scarce resource
– is essential for life and development
– has multiple and interconnected uses
What does IWRM require?
Requires a multisectoral approach:
– coordinating policy and action across the sectors
managing water, land and other natural resources
and those managing their exploitation and
development.
The Key principles of a IWRM are:
- Water should be treated as an economic, social and environmental good;
- Water policies should focus on both the management of water (demand) and the provision of water (supply);
- Government regulatory frameworks are critical in fostering the sustainable development of water resources;
- Water resources should be managed at the lowest appropriate level (i.e., in communities and villages as opposed to in capital cities) – principle of subsidiarity; and
- Women should be recognised for and supported in the central role they play in the provision, management and safeguarding of water.
Who has proprietary rights in water?
Trend to State ownership/custody/trusteeship
Consequences:
– State has authority to allocate water between competing uses and
regulate use
– BUT ‘existing user’ rights? Is a licence a property right?
– Allocation at local level?
– Need policy basis for allocation
– Need checks and balances to avoid abuse of authority
– State has responsibility to protect water
• Monitoring
• Enforcement
• Adaptive management
• Review policy and law
• Should the principle of subsidiarity apply? When? Capacity? Relationship
with State authorities?
