Taking Care of our Waters: People, Policy and Practice

Professor Laurence Smith

5th March 2014

Outline1. Introduction – from the global

to catchments

2. Two 2 approaches in our research:

• understanding rural water pollution as a ‘wicked problem’?

• understanding what the people getting it right do?

3. Some solutions

4. Q&A – but a ‘selfie’

The big picture, water, what have we got to manage?

A finite resource:•total volume of water = 1.4 billion km3

• oceans 97%• freshwater 3%, of this:

• ice caps and glaciers 77.2%

• groundwater & soil moisture 22.4%

• lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams 0.36%

Falkenmark, 1995

Ringersma et al., 2003

So how we manage land matters!

Country Renewable freshwater per capita, m3

(World Bank)

Water footprint per capita, m3

(Water Footprint Network)

USA 9044 2842

China 2093 1071

India 1184 1089

UK 2311 1258

UAE 17 3136

Kenya 493 1101

Global 6000 (approx.) 1385

Is there enough water?

Yes, but:•location matters•seasons and cycles matter•consumption matters•trade in food & fibre matters•wealth and power matters•energy use matters•sustainable stewardship mattersThe challenges are complex, location specific and getting tougher!

• agriculture accounts for 70% of all blue water withdrawals

• the poorest households in the developing world depend on groundwater, soil moisture and fisheries

• 1.1 billion people lack a safe source of drinking water

• 3 900 children die every day from water borne diseases (WHO 2004)

• pollution and degradation of water quality is widespread

UNEP GRID-A 2009

From the Holocene to the Anthropocene, global water challenges:

•atmosphere now at 398ppm CO2 (January 2014), >350ppm risks unpredictable and ‘damaging’ climate change•compared to pre-industrial times, surface ocean acidity has increased by 30%•rising demand for food and water from population growth to 9 billion(?) in 2050•> 45,000 dams above 15m high hold back 15% of the flow of rivers globally (> 6500 km3) (Nillson et al, 2005)

•from the High Plains of North America, to southern and north-west India, and the northern plains of China groundwater is being extracted at rates that far exceed recharge

From the Holocene to the Anthropocene, global nutrient challenges:

•150% increase in nitrogen fixed on land – we convert more nitrogen from the atmosphere into reactive forms than all the Earth´s terrestrial processes combined •8.5-9.5 million tonnes of phosphorus reaches the oceans annually, 8x the natural background influx•eutrophication - excess N&P over-fertilizes the water and the volumes of algae and other biomass consumes all the oxygen in the water (as it dies and decomposes)

Closer to home – catchment scale

Data from Environment Agency and Defra

Westcountry Rivers Trust

Blocked gutters

Water discharging onto ground

Westcountry Rivers Trust

The catchment management

problem:

How to protect and manage water resources in a

catchment in which people can live, work and play?

How to achieve a living and sanitary landscape with a healthy ecology?

Westcountry Rivers Trust

Westcountry Rivers Trust

The ‘mix’ of these needs to be well ‘tailored’ to local conditions, and delivery by multiple agencies and NGOs needs to be collaborative and coordinated.

Measures and best management practices to address diffuse farm pollution currently range through:• baseline good practice regulations

• ‘win-wins’ e.g. soil testing and nutrient management

• capital investment e.g. increased slurry storage, fencing streams

• lower intensity (income foregone) e.g. reduced stocking density

• land use change (income foregone/deferred) e.g. afforestation

• land acquisition for protected areas

Defra

Area coverage

The Mitigation Framework

The Lancaster Env Centre

UEA

Westcountry Rivers Trust

And its not just about farming

A mix beyond the capacity of one organisation, needs collaboration and coordination

• household septic systems• sewage treatment works• soil loss in construction• stream corridor management• restoration of river morphology and wetlands• spatial planning and economic development• education and awareness raising• research, monitoring, modelling• road runoff• urban runoff• water supply• other waste management

2 approaches in our research:

Understanding rural water pollution as a ‘wicked problem’?

Understanding what the people getting it right do?

• inter-related problems of water quality, over abstraction and flood risk

• pollutant sources are numerous, dispersed, with multiple & uncertain pathways

• monitoring and regulation are relatively costly

• problems are multi-sectoral

• polluting activities produce food, rural jobs, tourist income, etc.

• how to share costs?

• how to capture benefits & fund improvements?

Catchment management challenges

• complex• dynamic, uncertain• diverse legitimate values

and interests• no definitive problem

formulation• many externalities • multiple trade-offs • intractable for a single

organisation(Rittel & Webber, 1973) (Ludwig, 2001)

‘Wicked’ problems:

societal uncertainty

technical uncertainty

wicked problems

easyproblems

A ‘wicked’ diagnosis leads to: • inclusive stakeholder engagement• a broad response by civil society, businesses, local and national agencies and

scientists• decentralised collaboration and partnership working• a coordinating intermediary or lead

agency

• a ‘twin-track’ (analytic-deliberative) adaptive management approach

Rogers, 2007US EPA , 2005

Explicit recognition and understanding of this can inform policy, process and governance design.

IRC/IAD/TCE/PCF SCF ACF and ADR

Institutional Rational Choice

Institutional Analysis and Design

Transaction Cost Economics

Political Contracting Framework

Social Capital Framework Advocacy Coalition Framework

Alternative Dispute Resolution

collaborate if:benefits > costs s.t. resources available and

bounded rationality

‘virtuous circle’ of trust-reciprocity-networks fosters collaboration

advocacy coalitions share normative beliefs and perceptions, and collaborate for common objectives

transactions costs are key norm-driven behaviour and trust can reduce transaction costs

degree of ‘belief conflict’ is key,

institutional rules are basis for trust and reducing transactions costs

trust is a social norm that can substitute for rules

trust can be difficult to achieve, but facilitated processes of conflict resolution can work

e.g. Ostrom, 1990; North, 1990, Egertsson, 1990; Lubell et al, 2002; Sabatier et al, 2005;

e.g. Putnam et al, 1993; Coleman, 1988; Leach et al, 2002; Coglianese, 2002.

e.g. Sabatier et al, 1993; Carpenter et al, 1988; Susskind et al, 1999.

A Conservation District Coalition using a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) under NY and PA state law that allows multi-District agreements. The Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District is designated as the USC Administrator, responsible for all contractual and other legal obligations.

A network of 16 Soil and Water Conservation Districts in New York and 3 Conservation Districts in Pennsylvania.

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Delaware County Action

Plan: NYC Watershed From farm BMPs to wider measures: • education and information campaigns• monitoring and modelling• farm nutrient management• environmentally sensitive waste mgt.• communities (septic systems)• control of highway, storm runoff and road salt application• control of soil loss during civil works• stream corridor management• restoration of river morphology and wetlands• integration into planning and economic development•http://www.co.delaware.ny.us/depts/h2o/dcap.htm

Multiple barriers: source

landscape

stream corridor

DCAP PartnersDCAP PartnersDCAP integrates all levels of government authority, DCAP integrates all levels of government authority,

coordinates actions at County level by agencies coordinates actions at County level by agencies and other bodies, and preserves local planning and other bodies, and preserves local planning prerogatives.prerogatives.

LocalLocal• Planning, SWCD, CCE, Eco.Dev, Farm Bureau, Planning, SWCD, CCE, Eco.Dev, Farm Bureau,

DPW, Communities, NRCS, Chamber, IDA, DPW, Communities, NRCS, Chamber, IDA, WSAWSA

RegionalRegional• CWC, DEP, WACCWC, DEP, WAC

StateState• WRI, DEC, DOH, DOS, DOT, Ag & Mkts, WRI, DEC, DOH, DOS, DOT, Ag & Mkts,

NYSSWCC, Cornell, ESFNYSSWCC, Cornell, ESF FederalFederal

• EPA, USDA, Army CorpsEPA, USDA, Army Corps

www.healthywaterways.org

Healthy Waterways Partnership: Operating principles and governance

SECRETARIAT(15 staff members)

• Administration• Science and Monitoring• Planning and

Implementation• Healthy Waterways

Campaign• Water Sensitive Urban

Design Capacity Building Program

Scientific Advisory

Group(scientists from 5 local universities,

CSIRO, State Agencies)

Traditional Owners Advisory

Group

Community and Industry

Advisory Group(~20 community,

catchment, industry,

environmental groups)

Policy Council/Board• 9 Local Governments• 6 State Agencies• Community & Industry rep• Science Rep• NRM Regional Organisation Chair

CEO’s Committee

South East Queensland

5 Implementation Groups

Implementation Groups(5 Groups: Northern, Moreton Coast, Moreton Bay, Western, Southern)

commitment to working in a coordinated partnership structure in which all partners can be heard, contribute to decision-making and implement agreed actions within their own spheres of responsibility;

formulation of management strategies on the basis of sound science, rigorous monitoring and adaptive learning.

implementation of management actions at the most appropriate level within a regional framework.

Components of a catchment management

‘template’

An Adaptive Management Cycle

• the complexity, dynamics and trade-offs of catchment management require an adaptive management approach

• and a ‘twin-track’ of deliberative partner and stakeholder engagement supported by targeted scientific research

Source: US EPA Handbook 2005

www.healthywaterways.org

Build and Maintain PartnershipsEngage Stakeholders

Characterize CatchmentIdentify Problems

and Solutions

Set GoalsPrioritize Solutions

Design and Planning

Implement Plan

Monitor ProgressMonitor ProgressMake AdjustmentsMake Adjustments

Improve PlanImprove Plan

Key

Pathways Evaluation

Deliberation

Science

Components of a catchment management ‘template’Governance

• Partnerships • cross-sectoral and multi-level collaboration and coordination based on recognised responsibilities and duties

• Stakeholder engagement• integrate higher level policy for environmental and public health criteria with local economic and social objectives• enhance implementation with local knowledge, acceptance and ownership

• Locally led • decision-making at the level appropriate to responsibilities for land and water management, with provision for inter-locality cooperation and coordination

• Transparency and accountability

• Funded – core (public) and from diverse sources

Components of a catchment management ‘template’Capacity

• Locally accepted technical providers• trusted experts and intermediaries to analyse, advise and mediate

• Comprehensive condition and threat assessments and planning • ideally one integrated strategic plan to guide action plans, in accordance with higher level regulation and policy directives

•Knowledge exchange• synthesis and communication of information to decision makers, partners and stakeholders through skilled intermediaries and communication and decision-support tools

• Monitoring of performance and outcomes• inherent to adaptive management, and to sustaining partner and stakeholder engagement, and funding• evaluation criteria to include environmental quality and sustainability, cost effectiveness, and an accepted distribution of benefits and costs

Q&A – a ‘selfie’

1)Is this just academic? Can these principles be put into practice? Can I get involved?

The catchment based approach (CaBA) is being rolled out nationally (93 management catchments in England and Welsh borders).

Objectives are:

•To deliver positive and sustained outcomes for the water environment by promoting a better understanding of the environment at a local level; and

•To encourage local collaboration and more transparent decision-making when both planning and delivering activities to improve the water environment.

See:http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/131506.aspx

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/catchment-based-approach-improving-the-quality-of-our-water-environment

http://www.catchmentbasedapproach.net

http://www.theriverstrust.org/

The CaBA will develop partnerships and locally owned catchment plans, filling the gap between higher level river basin plans and local projects.

2) What about the floods?

“Technically, we know the solutions. It is a lack of political will that stands in the way” Professor Richard Ashley, University of Sheffield

“I’m really sorry we took the advice…..we thought we were dealing with experts” Minister, UK government

Adapted from a slide by Ben Surridge, 2014

“Floods are like snowflakes, none is quite like another” Andrew McKenzie, British Geological Survey

Princes William and Harry have joined troops trying to protect homes BBC

3) How does local action connect to global challenges?

My key partners include: UEA, Lancaster University, Cornell University, Westcountry Rivers Trust, The Rivers Trust, Defra Water Policy Team, AEPI Tianjin, plus many others.

Thank you for listening, for more information, please contact:

Laurence Smithl.smith@soas.ac.uk

+44 (0)20 3073 8328