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An Evolutionary Perspective on Water Governance: From Understanding to Transformation

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  • Claudia Pahl-Wostl

    (University of Osnabrück)

Abstract

Many water related problems can be attributed to governance failure at multiple levels of governance rather than to the resource base itself. At the same time our knowledge on water governance systems and conditions for success of water governance reform is still quite limited. Water governance is a fast growing field of scholarly expertise which has largely developed over the past 10 to 15 years. This paper summarizes the development of the field over the past decade(s). On one hand it addresses the current state of understanding of factors that determine the success of water governance systems. On the other hand it has a strong emphasis on processes of transformation and change in water governance as governing the transformation of water governance is the key challenge in moving towards more sustainable water governance and management.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudia Pahl-Wostl, 2017. "An Evolutionary Perspective on Water Governance: From Understanding to Transformation," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(10), pages 2917-2932, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:31:y:2017:i:10:d:10.1007_s11269-017-1727-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-017-1727-1
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    3. Ning Zhang & Zichen Wang & Hongkai Ru & Haiyang Li, 2021. "Study on the Spatio–Temporal Evolution of China’s Smart Water Co-Governance in G–E–P Mode," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-25, November.
    4. Grilli, Gianluca & Curtis, John, 2021. "Knowledge and awareness of water quality protection issues within Local Authorities," Papers WP712, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    5. Raoul Beunen & Kristof Van Assche & Monica Gruezmacher, 2022. "Evolutionary Perspectives on Environmental Governance: Strategy and the Co-Construction of Governance, Community, and Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.
    6. Peder Hjorth & Kaveh Madani, 2023. "Adaptive Water Management: On the Need for Using the Post-WWII Science in Water Governance," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 37(6), pages 2247-2270, May.
    7. Valérie Nicollier & Marcos Eduardo Cordeiro Bernardes & Asher Kiperstok, 2022. "What Governance Failures Reveal about Water Resources Management in a Municipality of Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-30, February.
    8. Sekela Twisa & Mohamed Mwabumba & Mathew Kurian & Manfred F. Buchroithner, 2020. "Impact of Land-Use/Land-Cover Change on Drinking Water Ecosystem Services in Wami River Basin, Tanzania," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-18, April.
    9. Samaneh Ghafoori-Kharanagh & Mohammad Ebrahim Banihabib & Saman Javadi & Timothy O. Randhir, 2021. "Participatory Water-Food-Energy Nexus Approach for Evaluation and Design of Groundwater Governance," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 35(11), pages 3481-3495, September.

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