Adaptive Water Governance: Assessing the Institutional Prescriptions of Adaptive (Co-)Management from a Governance Perspective and Defining a Research Agenda

Authors

Dave Huitema, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Erik Mostert, Delft University of Technology
Wouter Egas, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Sabine Moellenkamp, University of Osnabruck
Claudia Pahl-Wostl, University of Osnabruck
Resul Yalcin, University of Bonn

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Ecology and Society

Volume

14

Issue

1

Publisher

Resilience Alliance

First Page

26

Last Page

26

Abstract

This article assesses the institutional prescriptions of adaptive (co-)management based on a literature review of the (water) governance literature. The adaptive (co-)management literature contains four institutional prescriptions: collaboration in a polycentric governance system, public participation, an experimental approach to resource management, and management at the bioregional scale. These prescriptions largely resonate with the theoretical and empirical insights embedded in the (water) governance literature. However, this literature also predicts various problems. In particular, attention is called to the complexities associated with participation and collaboration, the difficulty of experimenting in a real-world setting, and the politicized nature of discussion on governance at the bioregional scale. We conclude this article by outlining a common research agenda that invites the collaborative efforts of adaptive (co-)management and governance scholars.

Comments

Originally published by Resilience Alliance. Publisher's PDF and HTML fulltext available through Ecology and Society.

Recommended Citation

Huitema, D., E. Mostert, W. Egas, S. Moellenkamp, C. Pahl-Wostl, and R. Yalcin. 2009. Adaptive water governance: assessing the institutional prescriptions of adaptive (co-)management from a governance perspective and defining a research agenda. Ecology and Society 14(1): 26.