Transcript Leven met Water - World Water Forum

Governance systems for flood
management
Geert R. Teisman
Scientific Director Innovation Program Living with Water
Professor in Public Management Erasmus University
Innovation Program Living with Water
• Aims to integrate the need to deal with climate
change and flooding protection with land use
developments and investment programs
• A variety of projects
• Example: urban flood management
–
Rethinking urban investment programs on housing
and economy in terms of the need to adapt to
expected rise of water levels
– Classic response: flood protection by way of higher and
stronger dikes and barriers
– New response considered: urban redevelopment in areas
that are vulnerable for flooding (floating houses, flood
resistance) seen as advantage and added value
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Problems with innovations on the edge of water
and spatial development
• Main problem that prevents societies from dealing with
water in a sophisticated way has to do with joint
decision-making
There is not one single government in charge
– Responsibilities are divided between different levels of
government and between divisions within one level of
government
–
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‘Problem’ versus ‘approach’
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The tension in words
• Persistent problem of
flooding
Integrated water system
overarching several
layers of government
– Interrelated with climate
systems
– Human action on one
place influences
possibilities elsewhere
–
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• Governments ‘normal’
response
Divide problem into parts
– Make one organization
responsible for a part
– Assume that dealing with
parts will solve the
problem
–
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Crucial topic
• Flooding problem we are dealing with is heavily
interconnected
• Governments are only responsible for a part of the
problem
• Solutions require multilevel and multi-sector governance
approach
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Question
• What is the best way to organize this multilevel and
multi-sector system?
–
Is there a best way to organize a governance system?
– Should it be decentralized or centralized?
– Should it be controlled by government or should it be
privatized?
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International comparison
Centralized
government
system
Decentralized
government
system
Central role of
government
France
Switzerland
(Loire basin)
(Canton Zurich)
Important role
of citizens and
private sector
UK
USA
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(Louisiana)
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International comparison
Centralized
government
system
Decentralized
government
system
Central role of
government
France
Switzerland
Important role
of citizens and
private sector
UK
Netherlands
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USA
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..
Who will win this comparison?
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Main observation
• There are institutional differences
Some based on idea that centralization helps to deal with
integrated problem
– Others based on idea that problems should be dealt with
on regional level
– Some based on idea that governments know best
– Others based on idea that self-organizing capacity of
people en market should be used
–
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Main conclusion
• Still all countries are facing fragmentation and
the need to develop sufficient governance
capacity within and between organizations
– If regional water board does exist it has to develop effective
–
–
–
–
relationships with a more general regional government
If water is integrated general government the knowledge of
and attention for water issues has to be safeguarded within
that government
If central government is in charge it has to develop effective
relations with local and regional governments
If regional and local governments have a high degree of
independency they have to safeguard effective relations with
each other
And so on
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In short
• There is no institutional arrangement that can solve the
balancing problem between overinvestment and
underinvestment in flood protection measures
• The institutional structure is not decisive!
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What then is decisive?
• Crucial factor seems to be ability of people
within the governance system to develop:
–
–
–
Personal effective relationships
Sufficient degree of mutual trust
Sufficient degree of mutual understanding of
problems and (even more important) opportunities to
satisfy mutual interests
• Informal governance capacity is critical
–
Conditional is ability of formal system to incorporate
joint plans in concrete action
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Multilevel governance in the Netherlands
• Case of Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt Delta
Complex water system on the edge of fresh and salt water
– Important flooding problems in the past
– Substantial investments made (famous Delta works)
– Result: well protected but not satisfied
–
– Decrease ecological quality of fresh water systems
– Stand still in social and economic terms
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Governance situation
• Multilevel:
– multiple municipalities, several water boards, three
provinces, four departments of national government and
• Multiple sectors:
– Flooding protection, fresh water management, river
management in terms of quantity and quality, spatial
developments, housing, agriculture, fishing recreation and
transport
• Public-private relations
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New approach
• Joint-up governance:
–
–
–
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Steering group
Program management approach
Expanding the problem
Dealing with content and process simultaneously
• Crucial denominators for success:
Personal involvement of officials
– Ability to build-up relations of trust and mutual interest
– Assemblage of knowledge and skills beyond the
boundaries of levels, departments, universities and
private sector
–
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Final messages
• Water governance is of great importance due to sea
level rise and climate change
–
High quality water authorities are needed
• However, solutions for protection also need to be
solutions for many other ambitions (ecology, recreation,
agriculture, economic vitality).
–
Most important governance challenge is effective
integration and synchronization beyond boundaries of
levels, domains and public and private sector