Several interesting papers on water governance were presented at the Lund conference on Earth System Governance.
Charlotte de Bruyne and Itay Fischhendler presented the results of research on factors which may explain the adoption of conflict resolution mechanisms (CRM’s) in transboundary agreements.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.watergovernance.eu/conference-2/lund-conference-on-earth-system-governance/
The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Working group I & II’ full report was presented on March 28, 2012. According to the IPCC, evidence suggests that climate change has led to changes in climate extremes such as heat waves, record high temperatures and, in many regions, heavy precipitation in the past half century.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.watergovernance.eu/science-and-policy/ipcc-releases-full-report-on-managing-the-risks-of-extreme-events-and-disasters-to-advance-climate-change-adaptation/
The European Commission presented “The European Climate Adaptation Platform”, an interactive web-based tool on adaptation to climate change. The European Climate Adaptation Platform is a publicly accessible, web-based platform, designed to support policy-makers at EU, national, regional and local levels in the development of climate change adaptation measures and policies. According to the European Commission adaptation means “anticipating the adverse effects of climate change and taking appropriate action to prevent or minimise the damage they can cause“.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.watergovernance.eu/movies/tool-for-climate-adaptation-policy-making/
Despite the fact that mainstreaming of climate change into existing European Uinion sectoral policies is a key aim, empirical knowledge of how it works in practice remains scarce. A just accepted article in Environment and Planning C by Stijn Brouwer, Tim Rayner and Dave Huitema explores to what degree climate considerations are taken into account in the implementation of one of the most influential pieces of European water legislation, the Water Framework Directive, and more importantly, assesses possible explanations for the geographical variability in levels of mainstreaming observed.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.watergovernance.eu/publications/mainstreaming-climate-considerations-in-european-river-basins/
Jan van der Molen and Hannah Ietswaard, two civil servants working at the Dutch Water Board Velt and Vecht, published a handbook on cross-border partnerships. In this handbook they combine the insights which they have gained during many years of involvement in cross-border projects with up to date theoretical knowledge on network management, change management, partnerships and cross-border cooperation.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.watergovernance.eu/governance-theory/new-handbook-on-cross-border-partnerships/
On 25 and 26 April 2012, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe organizes their third workshop on water and climate change in transboundary region in Geneva, Switzerland. The organizers state the following: “This workshop will bring together persons from all over the world, engaged in activities on water and adaptation to climate change and variability, in particular in transboundary basins. The workshop offers a platform for exchanging experience on climate change adapatation strategies, best practices, success factors and lessons learned.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.watergovernance.eu/conference-2/water-and-climate-change-adaptation-in-transboundary-basins/
By Farhad Mukhtarov. Like it or not, there are strong private interests involved in managing water resources. Water is being bought and sold, in bottles and in concession contract for the right to supply drinking water. And often, it is the source of lucrative profits made from the sales of a resource that buyers may actually already have in abundance, as Richard Wilk argues in his popular paper.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.watergovernance.eu/water-security/corporate-engagement-with-water-beyond-the-privatization-debate/
International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day. Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. This years’ theme is “Water and Security; The World is Thirsty, Because We are Hungry ”
Permanent link to this article: http://www.watergovernance.eu/fairness-and-equity/world-water-day-announcement/
The World Water Week (August 26-31 2012) is hosted and organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and takes place each year in Stockholm. Each year the World Water Week addresses a particular theme to enable a deeper examination of a specific water-related topic. The themes change each year, but each fits within a broader “niche” that covers several years. The niche for 2009-2012 is “Responding to Global Changes”, which looks at the potential and necessary responses in water policy, management and development to address pervasive and increasingly impacting global changes. The current series is ended with this years’ topic “Water and Food Security”. One of the workshop discusses “Governance for water and food security” and relates to the topics we discuss on this blog as well. The workshop is presented as follows:
Permanent link to this article: http://www.watergovernance.eu/conference-2/world-water-week-announcement/
By Peter Scholten: Driven by the necessity of adapting to climate change, water governance in the Netherlands is more and more leaning towards an approach in which many of the governance actions are aimed at creating more space for water dynamics. In the Netherlands, where over sixteen million inhabitants lay their diverse claims on one of Europe’s smallest countries, half of which is situated below sea level, more space for water implies a combining of water safety and flood management with many other societal functions that compete for the same space. This implies a transformation of the challenge of water governance from a problem of flood protection to a multidimensional governance issue that attempts to combine spatial management, economic functionality, ecological values and infrastructural problems and that involves many actors with different opinions and interests.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.watergovernance.eu/uncategorized/daring-leadership-and-the-challenge-of-dutch-water-governance/
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