Economic Instruments of Water Security Working Group

Objectives

Assess the complex dynamics occurring among diverse stakeholders during decision making processes as a basis for developing recommendations for optimizing policy and economic instruments (NAS, WAL, PWS) for watershed sustainability and societal benefits.
Explore the impacts, challenges, and opportunities of a range of policy and economic instruments (NAS, WAL, PWS) to enhance watershed sustainability in a range of case studies.
Identify and synthesize key emerging principles, best management practices, social and economic drivers influencing decision-making processes across a wide range of diverse political, cultural, socioeconomic, and environmental contexts. Looking beyond water panaceas, the WG will acknowledge ecological and socioeconomic diversity and build evidence that is relevant for adapting these fundamental principles to local case-specific contexts.
Further develop an existent international network of scientists, practitioners, decision-makers, and relevant stakeholders to share knowledge and expertise, and maintain a dialogue on policy and economic instruments for healthy watersheds.
Engage decision-makers and other actors in research on watershed sustainability and produce relevant research outputs to inform science-driven policy.

Activities

Organize a Special Session and in-person Working Group meeting related to this Working Group at the XVIth World Water Congress in Cancun, Mexico, June 2017.
Develop an integrative Working Group framework that outlines the key research questions, strategic plan, and outputs.
Identify subtask working groups and make associated research and writing assignments
Develop and submit joint grant proposals to support research initiatives.
Prepare thematic conceptual briefs for the Water Futures newsletter.
Develop a first draft of a white paper on best practices for economic instruments for promoting water security and sustainable watersheds.

People

Co-Chair: Heidi Asbjornsen – University of New Hampshire
Elena Lopez Gunn – ICATALIST and Leeds University
C. Dionisio Pérez Blanco – EuroMediterranean Centre on Climate Change CMCC, Italy
John Matthews – Alliance for Global Water Adaptation
Monica Altamirano – DELTARES, Holland
Regina M. Buono – Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
Nora Van Cauwenbergh – Water Governance Group UNESCO-IHE, Holland
Eiman Karar – UNEP Consultant, and Water Resources Commission, South Africa
Joe Holden – Head of Water, University of Leeds
Julia Martinez Ortega – Senior lecturer, University of Leeds
Viju James – Pragmatix, India
David Adamson – University of Queensland, Australia
Alvar Escriva-Bou – Public Policy Institute of California PPIC & University of California Davis UCD, US
Nina Graveline – French Geological Survey BRGM, France
Adam Loch – University of Adelaide, Australia
Dolores Rey – Cranfield University, UK
Ted I.E. Veldkamp – VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Alex Mayer – Michigan Technological University
Theresa Selfa – State University of New York
Yanhui Wang – Chinese Academy of Forestry
Kai Schwärzel – United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources
Angelo Nolè – University of Basilicata
Robert Manson – Institute of Ecology, Xalapa, Mexico
Diana Cordoba – State University of New York

Description

The Working Group (WG) will build ex-ante and ex-post evidence on the environmental and socio-economic performance of emerging strategies for enhancing water security[1], and inform decision makers on the costs, benefits and trade-offs of water reform. A strong emphasis will be placed on understanding the challenges and opportunities for developing cost-effective nature-based solutions and economic instruments in water resources management, through (but not limited to) national assurance schemes (NAS), water abstraction licenses (WAL), and payment for watershed services (PWS). A key unifying element across these instruments is their common goal of watershed sustainability and socioeconomic resiliency. All build on a deep understanding of the interactions and feedbacks in complex socio-ecological systems. The trans-disciplinary expertise of the WG reconciles front-line research on micro- and macro-economics, institutional economics, public policy, sociology, law, biology, hydrology, and ecology. Leveraging on this critical mass of knowledge the WG will analyse and model complex socio-ecological systems and assess the institutional dynamics that shape water reform. Information will be provided at fine local, regional and/or basin scales, closely associated with the institutions that must undertake reform options, and then synthesize the lessons learned and opportunities for broad application at the global scale. Through active stakeholder engagement and inclusive debate this knowledge will be transferred to decision-makers to inform their choices; consistent with the approach of Sustainable Water Future’s “Water Solutions Lab Network”, and aptly contributing to its goals. [1] “Safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability”. (UN-Water, 2013)

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