Global Water I nitiatives: Global Water I nitiatives: What Do the Experts Think? What Do the Experts Think? Report on a Survey of Report on a Survey of Leading Figures in the ‘ ‘World of Water World of Water’ ’ Leading Figures in the Robert G. Varady and and Matthew I les Matthew I les- -Shih Shih Robert G. Varady Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy The University of Arizona The University of Arizona Presented at the Presented at the Workshop on I mpacts of Mega-Conferences on Global Water Development and Management Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok, Thailand Sponsored by the Third World Centre for Water Management, Mexico Third World Centre for Water Management, Mexico Sponsored by the With the support of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, USA and Japan With the support of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, USA and Japan January 29- -30, 2005 30, 2005 January 29
Why Study Why Study Global Water I nitiatives? Global Water I nitiatives? What are they? GWI s are institutions that aim to advance GWI s are institutions that aim to advance What are they? � � knowledge base regarding the world’ ’s inland water and its s inland water and its knowledge base regarding the world management. Since 1980s, missions often include active social management. Since 1980s, missions often include active social and policy component. and policy component. Origins? Numerous & divergent disciplinary, ideological, Numerous & divergent disciplinary, ideological, Origins? � � sectoral, institutional. sources sectoral, institutional. sources Utility? Utility? I nnovative, useful, practical observations & recomms., I nnovative, useful, practical observations & recomms., � � obscured by # of voices, variety of approaches obscured by # of voices, variety of approaches Status? Mosaic of initiatives phenomenon poorly understood & Mosaic of initiatives phenomenon poorly understood & Status? � � unstudied unstudied Research Questions? Research Questions? � � Well- -defined network with clear links, traceable influences, defined network with clear links, traceable influences, ~ ~ Well unified purpose? Or independent, poorly- -connected, connected, unified purpose? Or independent, poorly competing? competing? ~ Have initiatives made a difference? Have initiatives made a difference? ~
Purpose of Paper & Hypothesis Purpose of Paper & Hypothesis � Purpose: Purpose: To report on the survey. To report on the survey. � � How: How: Via written materials and use of two survey Via written materials and use of two survey � instruments, In the process, the validity of the hypothesis instruments, In the process, the validity of the hypothesis will be assessed. will be assessed. � Working hypothesis: Working hypothesis: The numerous existing global water The numerous existing global water � initiatives frequently have duplicative aims and have initiatives frequently have duplicative aims and have overproliferated. overproliferated. � Expectation: Expectation: Experts in the field Experts in the field � would tend to minimize salutary would tend to minimize salutary influences of GWIs and advocate influences of GWIs and advocate their consolidation or selective their consolidation or selective elimination. elimination.
Roots of Water Roots of Water Consciousness and its Consciousness and its I nternationalization I nternationalization 1945 . . . WW I I ends . . . Multinatl. ways to avoid wars 1945 . . . WW I I ends . . . Multinatl. ways to avoid wars � � Reduce conflict by improving human conditions ~ Reduce conflict by improving human conditions ~ UN agencies for health, nutrition, educ./ sci., human rights, . . . . ~ UN agencies for health, nutrition, educ./ sci., human rights, . . ~ 1950- -60s . . . UN prompts 1st global resources 60s . . . UN prompts 1st global resources 1950 � � initiatives initiatives I ntl. Geophysical Year, 1957- -58 58 ~ I ntl. Geophysical Year, 1957 ~ ~ Arid Zone Programme, from 1950 Arid Zone Programme, from 1950 ~ ~ I ntl. Hydrological Decade, 1965- -74 74 ~ I ntl. Hydrological Decade, 1965 ~ Man & the Biosphere Programme, 1971- -present present ~ Man & the Biosphere Programme, 1971 � 1945 � 1945- -late 1970s . . . Ambitious, large late 1970s . . . Ambitious, large- -scale waterworks scale waterworks Dams, irrigation, drainage; hydro plants; interbasin transfers ~ Dams, irrigation, drainage; hydro plants; interbasin transfers ~ ~ Signals of 20th C progress, centrality of water to society ~ Signals of 20th C progress, centrality of water to society
Evolution of Organized Efforts: Evolution of Organized Efforts: Professional Societies Professional Societies � birth of I ncreased intl. signif. of water � � I ncreased intl. signif. of water birth of � numerous institutions to advocate one or numerous institutions to advocate one or another of its aspects another of its aspects � Prof. societies long in vanguard of this advocacy Prof. societies long in vanguard of this advocacy � � For professionals of various stripes to share For professionals of various stripes to share � intellectual spaces & expertise, and promote intellectual spaces & expertise, and promote basic & applied research basic & applied research
Evolution of Organized Efforts: Evolution of Organized Efforts: Professional Societies Professional Societies I ntl. Navigation Assoc. (PI ANC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1885 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1885 I ntl. Navigation Assoc. (PI ANC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Commission I nternationale des Glaciers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1894 1894 Commission I nternationale des Glaciers . . . . . . . . . . . . . I ntl. Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (I UGG) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I ntl. Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (I UGG) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1919 1919 I ntl. Assoc. of Hydrological Sciences (I AHS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1922 1922 I ntl. Assoc. of Hydrological Sciences (I AHS) . . . . . . . . . I ntl. Assoc. of Theoretical and Applied Limnology (SI L) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1922 1922 I ntl. Assoc. of Theoretical and Applied Limnology (SI L) . . . . I ntl. Council for Science (I CSU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I ntl. Council for Science (I CSU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1931 1931 I ntl. Assoc. for Hydraulic Research (I AHR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1935 1935 I ntl. Assoc. for Hydraulic Research (I AHR) . . . . . . . . . . . World I rrigation and Drainage Congresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1951 1951 World I rrigation and Drainage Congresses . . . . . . . . . . . . I ntl. Assoc. of Hydrogeologists (I AH) . . . . . . . . . . . . . I ntl. Assoc. of Hydrogeologists (I AH) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1964 1964 I ntl. Water Resources Assoc. (I WRA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1973 1973 I ntl. Water Resources Assoc. (I WRA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I ntl. Water Assoc. (I WA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1995 1995 I ntl. Water Assoc. (I WA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I ntl. Water History Assoc. (I WHA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I ntl. Water History Assoc. (I WHA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2001 2001
Evolution of Organized Efforts: Evolution of Organized Efforts: I nternational Hydrological Decade I nternational Hydrological Decade & I ts Origins & I ts Origins Effects of Postwar Polarization Effects of Postwar Polarization � � I solation of professionals from counterparts I solation of professionals from counterparts I deological differences in science & tech. I deological differences in science & tech. Gulf in content of science Gulf in content of science � � Responses: Call for global programs Responses: Call for global programs I ntl. Geophysical Year (I GY), 1957- -1958 1958 I ntl. Geophysical Year (I GY), 1957 I ntl. Hydrological Decade (I HD), 1965- -74 74 I ntl. Hydrological Decade (I HD), 1965 I HD Objectives I HD Objectives Collect hydrological data Collect hydrological data Research problems Research problems Assess resources & budget balances Assess resources & budget balances Facilitate info. exchange Facilitate info. exchange Educate & train Educate & train
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