You are here: Home > Global Programs > Thematic Programs

Water

Water in Federal States

In July 2008, the Forum of Federations together with the Gimenez Abad Foundation, the Cortes of Aragon, Expo 2008 and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation hosted a major international conference on Water Management in Federal and Federal-Type Systems in Zaragoza, Spain, on the margins of Expo 2008. The conference focused on eleven case studies and other issues related to water management.

Country cases provide an analysis of policy issues related to the use of water resources (including surface water and groundwater), as well as the legal and administrative arrangements by which federal, state, and local governments/bodies share responsibility and authority over the broad issue of water management (including quality, quantity, developmental activities), including those related to international bodies of water. Consequently the focus will be on the intergovernmental dimension of water management. Each case study offers detailed analysis oriented to issues of coordination and conflict between orders of government. Each case will draw out the dynamic dimension of water management in the system, including the forces driving the emergence and resolution of issues and conflicts between the jurisdictions. In order to enhance the volume’s relevance for practitioners, experts have tried to draw out some key lessons regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches followed in the case under study.

The project seeks to produce a comparative volume drawing on theexperiences of several federal type countries, which will be of value in a policy context for governments. The Spanish edition of this volume will bepublished in 2009. In the meantime, you can read the English papers here.