IWRM through WFD Implementation? Drivers for Integration in Polycentric Water Governance Systems

Abstract

This paper uses an empirical approach to explore what motivates the adoption of integrated water resources management (IWRM). The study compares cases of local implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) from five German federal states representing various types of local policy addressees. Data were collected using policy analysis methods, including participatory observation and interviews with planners who had implemented WFD measures and conducted integration attempts of various types throughout the planning processes. The planning narratives on integration were analysed iteratively and its characteristics, drivers, and hampering factors were identified. It was found that policy addressees attempt integration due to the incentives for reaching their goals rather than according to their paradigms. Depending on the power relations, incentives result in the integration of different actors during different planning phases. The findings suggest that in order to strategically induce integration, it would be necessary to enhance the incentives based on a detailed knowledge of power relations. The WFD as a general regulatory framework was found not to be a driver for local integration, but the WFD did induce increased integrated management through setting goals.

Unfolding the Water Framework Directive Implementation at the River Basin District Scale: An Italian Case Study on Irrigation Measures

“…These progresses in the integration among water protection and water management can only be partially related to the implementation of WFD. Our results are in line with the results of Schröder [33] highlighting that 'The WFD was found not to be a driver for integration as a regulative framework but induced an increased number of integration attempts through setting goals which can rarely be achieved without integration'. We may add to this consideration that in the Eastern Alps RBD, at least for what concern measures to improve irrigation efficiency, the EU Pilot and EU regulations on the use of European funds were the most significant drivers for integration, more than the WFD.…”

Mutual Learning and Policy Transfer in Integrated Water Resources Management: A Research Agenda

“…Third, research published in this Special Issue confirms that several mechanisms may simultaneously be at work during the transfer of IWRM principles [53,56]. In the hope to improve our understanding of causality here, we propose further studies into the interplay of mechanisms.…”

“…Six contributions to this Special Issue-by Demirbilek and Benson [52], Fritsch [53], Glavan et al [54], Pellegrini et al [55], Schröder [56], and Waylen et al [57]-study the implementation of EU water policies; another one by Fidelis et al [58] examines a setting directly and indirectly shaped by Brussels although no direct reference to the EU is being made. All six EU-centred contributions focus on the WFD whereby Glavan et al [54] and Waylen et al [57] analyse the Directive in conjunction with other EU water policies.…”

“…The contributions by Schröder [56] and Waylen et al [57] look at the degree of integration and coordination achieved through recent EU water legislation. Waylen et al compare several European countries while Schröder presents an in-depth case study of five German states.…”

“…Hence, the achievement of the Directive's water quality goals calls for integrated and coordinated approaches to water management. Water officials in Germany recognise this necessity but to various degrees, resulting in a vast diversity of local-level attempts to achieve integration that have occurred relatively independently from the regulatory provisions found in the WFD [56].…”