The evolution of policy instruments used in water, land and environmental governances in Victoria, Australia from 1860–2016

Abstract

Debate continues regarding which policy instrument should be used to ensure land, water, and environmental governance that promotes the sustainability of social-ecological systems (SESs). Policy instruments and Social Ecological Systems have played important roles in the theoretical development of natural resource governance systems. They, however, have been considered in isolation from one another. This study aims to bridge between the two by interpreting policy instruments as rules of interaction in a social-ecological system. Specifically, a longitudinal study on Victorian Acts was conducted to understand how policy instruments for land, water, and environmental governances adopted from 1860 to 2016 worked in the governance of SESs. Through a content analysis of the Acts, we constructed a simple typology of the ways in which policy instruments manage components of SESs. This typology includes the reserve regime, authority regime, information regime and integration regime. The study shows the circumstances under which interactions among components of biophysical and social systems deserve attention as partial shapers of policy instruments. The present work can be used to understand, examine and reflect on policy instruments currently used for resource governance and to make strategic improvements that account for current conditions rather than adopting new policies without understanding the existing context.