La protezione del Mare Mediterraneo dall’inquinamentoMilano, 6 marzo 2012 - Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco

Water usage conflicts in the Mediterranean basin

GLM Governing the Large MetropolisSciences Po

Outline of the main research questions

A new analysis of water conflicts, based on governance

What elements for an analysis? Take into account the specificities of the territory,  Make an assessment of the existing infrastructures, Identify relevant actors,  Identify roots of conflict and its evolution (dynamic

process)

Analytical framework and 6 case studies

• Inca-Sa-Pobla, Mayorca, Baleares• Sebou basin, Marocco• Litani basin, Lebanon• Sohag Governorate, Egypt• Sfax, Tunisia• Toulon Bay, France

Report based on previous studies by University of Nice students, Sciences Po STU students (2010-11) and Sciences Po GLM students (2012)

Water conflicts in the Mediterranean region:what is at stake?

• an unequal repartition of the water resource, at the international level as well as at the local level

• a demographic pressure and the climate change foster the water deprivation suffered by the region

• water conflicts: usually local 

• many actors involved, public and private

Water conflicts in the Mediterranean region: what is at stake?

• Inequalities in the distribution of water: North vs. South – South is disadvantaged (precipitation in Albania 1485 mm/year, 51 mm/year in Egypt)

• Shortage of water: 50 million inhabitants living with less than 500 m3 of water per year, 30 million does not have access to drinking water

• Demographic growth by 2025 there will be 250 M inhabitants in the south living with less than 500 m3 of water per year

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Water conflicts in the Mediterranean region:what is at stake?

Definitions for the analysis

• governance:= not a "best practice" approach but how different actors, public and private, coordinate

• conflict:not necessarily negative, its acknowledgement can lead to negotiation

• framework:= the way actors look at the conflict, through a certain point of viewIf actors don't share the same framework, negotiation becomes impossibleFramework is also used as a way to foster legitimacy (institutional, technical, judicial, economic, sociocultural)

Water conflict: characteristics and typology

water = vital resourcescarce in the Mediterranean basinrequires technical knowledge and specific infrastructures

issue: how to define water as a good? 

                        Excludable     Non-excludable 

Rivalrous                                                                        Ostrom: water is                  

                                a "common                                                                             pool resource"                

                                           Non-rivalrous

private good common good

clubs good public good

Use conflicts

• Two main types of factors: geophysical and socio-economic

• Geophysical: quality and quantity of water (shortage and distribution)

• Socio-economic (demography, social relations, urban sprawl)

• In the South of the Mediterranean: demographic growth and urban sprawl

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Cont.

service-water: water went through a filtering process = private good or club goodsource-water: water coming from the natural water cycle = private good

Water right regulates how the water is shareddifferent legal traditions: latin system, muslim system

water use: consumption and useuse can be not for consumption (forbid the use of water for example)

Types of water usage

Source: Sciences Po STU Report p. 21, 2011

typology of use conflictsexternalities as a source of conflict

- impact on water quality- impact on water quantity- upstream/downstream conflict

institutional dysfunction - problem of attribution of competencies/bad coordination of actors- incapacity to fulfill one's competencies- lack of legitimity and power

contestation of a public decision as a source of conflict

- opposition to pricing- no respect of a regulation- priorisation

framework as a source of conflict

- urban/rural conflict- ideological framework- strategy and development conflict

Modes of water use conflicts management and resolution 

Instruments to solve water use conflicts- legislation- public-private partnership, contract (but efficiency is not guaranteed)State involved in both cases.- Consensus, alternative dispute resolution, participative groups: strong implication of users, state is not involved. 

difficulty to take preventive measures Still:- sectorial integration: coordination of the different public authorities (vertical and horizontal)- territorial integration: coherence between the administrative boundaries and the limits of the basin-integration of all actors: usually requires the creation of a special entity

Water conflicts management

• Conflict is a dynamic process – it is important to follow its evolution and evaluate the different solutions

• Need to take into account: actors, instruments, what else one could do differently?

• Sectoral integration (among ministries such as agricultural, environmental)

• Territorial integration (natural cycle f water i a cross-boarder issue

• Integration of max authors: to encourage all actors to participate at all levels of the public policy process

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Coalition BuildingCivil Society Orgs

Public agenciesPolicy Development

BargainingDecision Making

Conflict managementImplementation

Mainstream

Agenda SettingSpecialist NGOs

Frame problems / solutions

Evaluation Research (Universities)

Monitoring outcomes

Action situations: it is possible to manage water conflicts

Adapted from Ostrom, 2007; Nagendra, Ostrom, Vitale 2012

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Some very important variables to understand conflict management in the Mediterranean Basin

Resource System (RS)

Size of urban water treatment plant

Scale and type of pre-existing pollution

Actors (A)

Number of actors

Interest groups excluded

Leadership

Norms of trust, social capital

Importance of resource, dependence

Governance System (GS)

Operational local rules

Interactions (I)

Env. NGOs networking with government

Informal norms for monitoring (civil society commitment)

Outcomes (O)

Social performance measure (collective action)

Ecological performance measure

Conclusion

• A new analysis of water conflicts, based on governance

Take into account the specificities of the territory, Make an assessment of the existing infrastructures,Identify relevant actors, Identify roots of conflict and its evolution (dynamic process)

• Modes of conflict resolution

Decide to engage the state or build participatory groups involving usersImportance of coordination of actors: create a special entity 

Next project: Rabat and Istanbul

Based on this governance approach, the next project will be focused on 2 case studies: Rabat-Salé and Istanbul (following a study trip to Istanbul)

=> identify relevant actors=> roots of conflicts

Stress on urban/rural conflictsPropose concrete actions for conflict resolution and water management