Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.48548/pubdata-1482
Resource typeDissertation
Title(s)Toward sustainable water governance: Paradigms, context, and sustainability performance
DOI10.48548/pubdata-1482
Handle20.500.14123/1556
CreatorBilalova, Shahana  0000-0002-3314-9691
RefereeNewig, Jens  0000-0003-2390-2982
Villamayor-Tomas, Sergio  0000-0002-5170-1718
Pahl-Wostl, Claudia  0000-0002-2294-6521
AdvisorNewig, Jens  0000-0003-2390-2982
Villamayor-Tomas, Sergio  0000-0002-5170-1718
AbstractThe global water crisis, exacerbated by human activities and climate change, has reached critical levels. Recent studies and reports highlight the need for immediate action to protect threatened ecosystems and to ensure sustainable water resources. The current water crisis is widely argued to be a crisis of governance. With shifting societal priorities and increasing understanding of water systems, new and diverse governance approaches have emerged and spread. This is also reflected in the growing body of literature that examines different governance approaches in relation to the context in which they have been implemented. This doctoral dissertation analyzes the existing empirical literature on water governance to explore the interactions between governance paradigms and characteristics, context, and water sustainability performance. Additionally, it provides important conceptual insights into water governance paradigms and presents novel empirical findings in the examination of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Focusing on paradigms is important as it offers a valuable lens to understand water governance better, allowing us to examine the underlying principles that may guide governance decisions, the role of context in shaping governance practices, and the dynamics within water governance. This dissertation aims to achieve three main objectives: (1) identify and examine water governance paradigms, (2) explore patterns in water sustainability performance associated with different governance paradigms and identify effective governance pathways, and (3) examine the role of context in water governance effectiveness, the relationship between context and governance paradigms, and the link between water-related problem contexts and governance. To address these objectives, the dissertation employs a mixed-method approach, integrating quantitative and set-theoretic methods, drawing from and contributing to two areas of research: water sustainability and water governance. The results show that paradigms may play an important role in how water governance is structured, who is involved, and how problems are perceived. However, the relationship between paradigms and governance is not always linear, as governance systems often emerge from the complex interplay of several factors rather than being determined by a single paradigm. Paradigms are dynamic: co-occurring with other paradigms, appearing in different forms in different contexts, and evolving over time with shifting societal priorities while leaving legacies. Their emergence and spread result from the influence of diverse actors in shaping the discourse, practices, and evolving landscapes of water governance worldwide. Therefore, while these paradigms are not always well acknowledged in the literature, it is imperative to zoom into paradigms to understand water governance better. Results on how governance systems perform regarding water sustainability show that certain paradigms, such as “participatory and collaborative governance,” “integrated approach to water management,” and “adaptive (co-)management or governance,” and “community-based management,” are reported to perform better. However, it is important to account for context-specific circumstances. Successful governance does not always have a straightforward design and might involve aspects from different paradigms in response to the problem it addresses. Furthermore, the relationship between water governance and water sustainability performance is complex and influenced by the specific context within which water governance operates. Context shapes how the paradigms are translated on the ground, how they perform, and what is needed to address specific water problems, including how successful governance pathways relate to the nature of problématiques (i.e., problem contexts). This requires a nuanced understanding of context, as there are no simple, one-size-fits-all solutions to governance challenges. The findings presented in this dissertation contribute to a deeper understanding of the water governance paradigms and the interactions between governance, context, and water sustainability performance within the water governance literature. The results emphasize the need for recognizing the shaping influence of the context within which governance operates. The insights into problem contexts provide policymakers with an entry point for developing tailored policies that effectively address specific challenges.
LanguageEnglish
KeywordsWater; Governance; Sustainability; Performance
Date of defense2024-11-07
Year of publication in PubData2024
Publishing typeFirst publication
Date issued2024-11-18
Creation contextResearch
Granting InstitutionLeuphana Universität Lüneburg
Published byMedien- und Informationszentrum, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg
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