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Water, People, and Sustainability—A Systems Framework for Analyzing and Assessing Water Governance Regimes

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  • Arnim Wiek
  • Kelli Larson

Abstract

Freshwater resources might become the most limited resource in the future due to rising demands, climate change, and the degradation of aquatic ecosystems. While the urgency of this challenge is uncontested, water governance regimes still struggle to employ suitable responses. They lack of: taking a comprehensive perspective on water systems; focusing on social actors, their actions, needs, intentions, and norms as drivers of water systems; engaging in a discourse on tangible goals to provide direction for governance efforts; and promoting a comprehensive perspective on water sustainability that equally recognizes depletion, justice, and livelihood issues in the long-term. We present an approach that intends to overcome these limitations by putting the focus on what people do with water, and why, along with the impacts of these doings. First, we outline an integrated approach to water governance regimes, and then, we present a holistic set of principles by which to evaluate sustainable water governance. Solution-oriented research applying this approach integrates natural sciences and engineering perspectives on water systems with social science studies on water governance, while also specifying and applying normative principles for water sustainability. The approach we develop herein can be used to reform and innovate existing water governance regimes as well as stimulate transformative governance research. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Arnim Wiek & Kelli Larson, 2012. "Water, People, and Sustainability—A Systems Framework for Analyzing and Assessing Water Governance Regimes," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(11), pages 3153-3171, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:26:y:2012:i:11:p:3153-3171
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-012-0065-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Tantoh, Henry Bikwibili & Simatele, Danny, 2018. "Complexity and uncertainty in water resource governance in Northwest Cameroon: Reconnoitring the challenges and potential of community-based water resource management," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 237-251.
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    6. Abigail Sullivan & Dave D. White, 2020. "Climate change as catastrophe or opportunity? Climate change framing and implications for water and climate governance in a drought-prone region," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, March.
    7. Eduardo Araral & Yahua Wang, 2013. "Water Governance 2.0: A Review and Second Generation Research Agenda," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(11), pages 3945-3957, September.
    8. 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.
    9. Chia-Ling Chang & You-Tze Lin & Pei-Te Chiueh, 2014. "Single Criterion and Multiple Criteria Analysis: A Comparison of Water Quality Monitoring Designs for a River System," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(3), pages 645-655, February.
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    11. José Sena & Marcos Freitas & Daniel Berrêdo & Lazaro Fernandes, 2012. "Evaluation of Vulnerability to Extreme Climatic Events in the Brazilian Amazonia: Methodological Proposal to the Rio Acre Basin," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(15), pages 4553-4568, December.
    12. J. Leah Jones & Dave D. White, 2021. "A social network analysis of collaborative governance for the food-energy-water nexus in Phoenix, AZ, USA," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 11(4), pages 671-681, December.
    13. Carvalho, Isabella de Castro & Calijuri, Maria Lúcia & Assemany, Paula Peixoto & Silva, Marcos Dornelas Freitas Machado e & Moreira Neto, Ronan Fernandes & Santiago, Aníbal da Fonseca & de Souza, Maur, 2013. "Sustainable airport environments: A review of water conservation practices in airports," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 27-36.
    14. Sheng Miao & Michael E Meadows & Yushan Duan & Fengtao Guo, 2022. "How Does the Geography Curriculum Contribute to Education for Sustainable Development? Lessons from China and the USA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-19, August.
    15. Rob C. Loë & James J. Patterson, 2018. "Boundary Judgments in Water Governance: Diagnosing Internal and External Factors that Matter in a Complex World," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 32(2), pages 565-581, January.
    16. Kuzdas, Christopher & Wiek, Arnim & Warner, Benjamin & Vignola, Raffaele & Morataya, Ricardo, 2015. "Integrated and Participatory Analysis of Water Governance Regimes: The Case of the Costa Rican Dry Tropics," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 254-268.
    17. Stefan Schaltegger & Markus Beckmann & Erik G. Hansen, 2013. "Transdisciplinarity in Corporate Sustainability: Mapping the Field," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(4), pages 219-229, May.
    18. Stella Santana & Gilberto Barroso, 2014. "Integrated Ecosystem Management of River Basins and the Coastal Zone in Brazil," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(14), pages 4927-4942, November.
    19. D'Amore, Gabriella & Landriani, Loris & Lepore, Luigi, 2021. "Ownership and sustainability of Italian water utilities: The stakeholder role," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    20. Silva Larson & Kim Alexander & Riyanti Djalante & Dewi Kirono, 2013. "The Added Value of Understanding Informal Social Networks in an Adaptive Capacity Assessment: Explorations of an Urban Water Management System in Indonesia," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(13), pages 4425-4441, October.
    21. Margot Hurlbert, 2020. "Access and allocation: rights to water, sanitation and hygiene," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 339-358, June.

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