Hydro-social Issues in the FIRMA project

Thomas E. DowningEnvironmental Change InstituteUniversity of Oxford

Objectives

Introduce broad themes in water policy that are relevant to the FIRMA projectDemonstrate various means of participatory learningCoalesce on standard terms and definitions for the project

Agenda

Background material EU water directive Glossary Literature

Introduction to hydro-social issuesAgenda setting for further elaborationMeta-model exerciseCase study on institutional analysis of water issuesLog sheet

Key literature and sources of information

SIRCH project: www.eci.ox.ac.uk Working papers on institutional analysis, stakeholders Descriptions of drought/floods in southern England,

Netherlands and southern Spain

Eurowater project Two volumes edited by Nunes Correra

EU water issues summary fact sheets:

//europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/... summary of directive: //europa.eu.int/water/water-framework/index_en.html …

What is a hydro-social issue?

Interactions of hydrology, management and consumersRecurring issues Affected by long-term trends in socio-

economic conditions Driven by EU policy Relating to national policy

Traditional framing of issues:

Hydrological/hydraulic What is the expected yield of a

catchment?

Engineering How much water leaks from the

distribution system? How can leakage be reduced?

Management What is the economic level of leakage?

Linking social to hydrological:

How will new investment in water infrastructure be agreed?How can local management structures balance competing uses? How will stakeholders negotiate water entitlements in different conditions of water availability, especially scarcity? How will consumers respond to periodic water shortages, or to increasing environmental concerns?

Global change

G LO BAL C HANG E:C lim a teEc o no m yLife stylePo p ula tio n

RISK M ANAG EM ENT:O b je c tive s

C rite riaPla ns

O UTC O M E:He a lth a nd Sa fe tyEc o no m ic We lfa re

Life style a nd Am e nityEnviro nm e nta l Q ua lity

AC TO RS

SCAL

E

INSTITUTIONS

Lo c a l

G lo b a l

Ind ivid ua l C o rp o ra te

Im p le m e nta tio n

Po lic y

EuropeanU nion

W TO

W aterU tilitiesFarm ers

StakeholdersPolicy

ScaleGovernance

Local authorities

Ofwat

WSCo

Consumers

EA

DETR

Policy: Policy-setting <--> Regulation <--> OperationalScale: National <--> Regional <--> LocalGovernance: Market <--> Mixed <--> Command

Integrating flow attributes and requirements

SOCIO-INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES

FLOW ATTRIBUTES

FLOW REQUIREMENTS

OUTCOMES

RESPONSES

ReactivePrecautionary

Proactive

Inventory of issues:

Carousel Four stations on defined themes Moderator selected for each station Small group visits each topic in

succession Report back to everyone 30 minutes total

Groups on:

Global changeEU policy--the water directiveNational and local issues in the MediterraneanNational and local issues in northern Europe

Steps:

List hydro-social issues for this topicReview and add to list from previous groupProvide examples of the issues--where, whoRank in order of importance in Europe

Inventory

Three stars Extreme events: drought/floods, infrastructure cross national issues--extreme events, pollution,

flooding scarcity of water supply full recover costs pricing institutions for conflict resolutions industrial pollution conflicts on water management agricultural pollution

Catalogue

Chose issues as the core set to work onRelate groups of issues to analytical methodsLead institutes for further development Background note on issue (1 page) Examples in literature and case study

areas (1 page) Suggestions for modelling

Analysis

What is the policy issue?Where is it most apparent?Who are the stakeholders?What is the range of effective action?What are the relationships between stakeholders?

Conclusion

Results from four themes

Global changeEuropean Union policyNorthern EuropeSouthern Europe

Global change (1)

Emergence of water rights (UK, California)Water scarcity--droughts, floodsClimate change--managementConflicts over water--accessPollution--chemical, agricultural, industrial, hygienicInstitutionsLand use changes (Spain, afforestation)Changing perceptions of risk

Empowerment of stakeholders--EU directiveDemographic change--single person households

Global change (2)

Precautionary action--global warmingshift in value systemsHydro-biological changeAgricultural practicesTechnological change--better control of water flowsLower credibility of experts--reflexive modernisation, e.g., Shell Brent SparVirtual water/food trade

European Union policy (1)

River basin managementFull recovery costs (pricing)--regulation vs marketsGood ecological qualityInland navigationDrinking water qualityFishingTourism

European Union policy (2)

Sustainable management--costs, benefitsSubsidiarity--agreement for quantity not quality or drinking waterQuantityFlood and drought managementTheoretical basis of policy analysisMajor accidents--toxic spillsConflict resolutions principles

Northern Europe

Flooding and high water (Rhine)Agricultural pollution (Norfolk Broads)Industrial pollutionEcosystem deterioration--rivers, estuaries, seashoresDrinking water quality (Rhine/Meuse)Up/downstream water management and conflicts (Rhune, Wye)Law enforcement and penalties (Camelsford and pollution of drinking water, nuclear discharges)Fish farmingNavigation and transportationCross-national issues (Rhine, Meuse)

Southern Europe

Drought, lack of rain (Balearics)Altered floods and droughtPollution with pesticidesScarcity of water supply (urban) (Barcelona)Too many tourists--demand for quantity and quality; pollution (Venice)Transfer between basinsCoordinate public and privateFarm production--irrigation, changing practices (SW France)How to induce changesInfrastructure to cope with extreme events (Venice, Majorca)