Abstract
This paper uses an empirical approach to explore what motivates the adoption of integrated water resources management (IWRM). The study compares cases of local implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) from five German federal states representing various types of local policy addressees. Data were collected using policy analysis methods, including participatory observation and interviews with planners who had implemented WFD measures and conducted integration attempts of various types throughout the planning processes. The planning narratives on integration were analysed iteratively and its characteristics, drivers, and hampering factors were identified. It was found that policy addressees attempt integration due to the incentives for reaching their goals rather than according to their paradigms. Depending on the power relations, incentives result in the integration of different actors during different planning phases. The findings suggest that in order to strategically induce integration, it would be necessary to enhance the incentives based on a detailed knowledge of power relations. The WFD as a general regulatory framework was found not to be a driver for local integration, but the WFD did induce increased integrated management through setting goals.
Highlights
The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), due to its flexibility, is known as a directive of a new generation
In preparation for the discussions, 25 participants handed in two-pagers before the workshop answering the following questions based on their prior research: What do we already know about European water protection implementation? What do we still need to know on water governance to eliminate implementation deficits? What are the most important/urgent problems of European Water Governance? And what should political-administrative actors do to improve policy implementation?)
WFD implementation in Germany is under the purview of the federal ministries
Summary
The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), due to its flexibility, is known as a directive of a new generation. This flexibility was introduced to avoid problems of fit in order to improve implementation efforts [1], many member states are far away from reaching the Directive’s goals to achieve a good (ecological/chemical) status or potential in all European Waters by 2015 or with exemptions latest by 2027. This paper is inspired by discussions at the Workshop ‘Rethinking the Governance of European. In preparation for the discussions, 25 participants handed in two-pagers before the workshop answering the following questions based on their prior research: What do we already know about European water protection implementation? This paper does not present findings from the workshop
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