Water System

The study of earth system governance in relation to the global water system will be developed in close though not exclusive collaboration with the Global Water System Project (GWSP), a joint project of the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP). The Global Water System Project aims to understand how humans are changing the global water cycle, the associated biogeochemical cycles, and the biological components of the global water system, and what the social feedbacks are that arise from these changes. The Project has three sub-questions, namely about the magnitudes of anthropogenic and environmental changes in the global water system and the key mechanisms by which they are induced; about the main linkages and feedbacks in the earth system that arise from changes in the global water system; and how resilient and adaptable the global water system is to change and what sustainable water management strategies are. This third question focuses on the institutional and governance dimension. Within the institutional framework the GWSP takes a global perspective, justified by four arguments: first, the hydrological system is a global system; second, human behaviour and global environmental change is driven by forces that are often beyond the jurisdiction of local, national or regional agencies; third, many local phenomena may occur globally and have cumulative impacts at the global level; and fourth, the impacts of reduced quantities and qualities of water are likely to be global. An implication of the GWSP approach is the need to take a global perspective when developing policies at local or national levels.

Upcoming Events

17-12-2012 - 18-12-2012
The Securitization of Water Discourse. An International Workshop and a Public Event

Organized by the Jerusalem Water Group of the Hebrew University as part of the EU CLICO Project with endorsement by the Earth System Governance Project


Jerusalem, Israel
28-01-2013 - 31-01-2013
Earth System Governance Tokyo Conference: Complex Architectures, Multiple Agents

Jointly hosted by the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS), the International Environmental Governance Architecture Research Group and the Tokyo Institute of Technology on behalf of the Earth System Governance Project. 


Tokyo, Japan

Publications

Author(s) Title Year
Pattberg, Philipp., Frank Biermann, Sander Chan, Aysem Mert (editors). Public–Private Partnerships for Sustainable Development. Emergence, Influence and Legitimacy. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. 2012
Benson, David., Andrew Jordan, and Dave Huitema. Involving the Public in Catchment Management: An Analysis of the Scope for Learning Lessons from Abroad. Environmental Policy and Governance 2011
Biermann, Frank., Contributing authors: Kenneth Abbott, Steinar Andresen, Karin Bäckstrand, Steven Bernstein, Michele M. Betsill, Harriet Bulkeley, Benjamin Cashore, Jennifer Clapp, Carl Folke, Aarti Gupta, Joyeeta Gupta, Peter M. Haas, Andrew Jordan, Norichika Kanie, Tatiana Kluvánková-Oravská, Louis Lebel, Diana Liverman, James Meadowcroft, Ronald B. Mitchell, Peter Newell, Sebastian Oberthür, Lennart Olsson, Philipp Pattberg, Roberto Sánchez-Rodríguez, Heike Schroeder, Arild Underdal, Susana Camargo Vieira, Coleen Vogel, Oran R. Young. Assessment managers: Andrea Brock, and Ruben Zondervan. Transforming governance and institutions for a planet under pressure. Revitalizing the institutional framework for global sustainability: Key Insights from social science research. Planet Under Pressure Policy Brief, 3: 2011
Partzsch, Lena., Rafael Ziegler. Social entrepreneurs as change agents: a case study on power and authority in the water sector. International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, 11 (1): 63-83. Special Issue on "Agency in Earth System Governance". 2011
Biermann, Frank., Michele M. Betsill, Susana Camargo Vieira, Joyeeta Gupta, Norichika Kanie, Louis Lebel, Diana Liverman, Heike Schroeder, Bernd Siebenhüner, Pius Z Yanda, and Ruben Zondervan. Navigating the anthropocene: the Earth System Governance Project strategy paper. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 2 (3): 202-208. 2010

People

Dr. David Benson, University of East Anglia, United Kingdom
Prof. Ken Conca, American University, United States of America
Dr. Pedro Fidelman, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia
Svenja Fox, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Prof. Joyeeta Gupta, UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, and VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Prof. Margot A. Hurlbert, University of Regina, Canada
Prof. Mohammed Messouli, University of Marrakesh, Morocco
Vasna Ramasar, Earth System Governance Project, Sweden
Susanne Schmeier, Hertie School of Governance, Germany
Peter Scholten, Erasmus University, The Netherlands