"Localism" as an approach to community participation in Australian water planning
Author(s)
Tan, Poh-Ling
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2012
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Sharing of water between competing uses of surface and groundwater systems across Australia is based on water plans. Based on adaptive management, planning involves the use of participatory processes to achieve a balance between consumptive and in-stream uses of water. Tensions between different stakeholders and values are particularly evident where overallocated water systems are required to be returned to an environmentally sustainable level of extraction, as shown in current processes for a Basin Plan in the Murray-Darling. Parliamentary enquiries have called for the incorporation of "local" approaches in water planning ...
View more >Sharing of water between competing uses of surface and groundwater systems across Australia is based on water plans. Based on adaptive management, planning involves the use of participatory processes to achieve a balance between consumptive and in-stream uses of water. Tensions between different stakeholders and values are particularly evident where overallocated water systems are required to be returned to an environmentally sustainable level of extraction, as shown in current processes for a Basin Plan in the Murray-Darling. Parliamentary enquiries have called for the incorporation of "local" approaches in water planning to ease these tensions. Two recent projects identify barriers and bridges to collaborative water planning, and in a variety of contexts, trial practical tools to address issues identified by stakeholders and agencies. Major findings include identification of factors that improve community confidence of plans. These results have implications for water planning in other countries especially where the science is contested, social values are uncertain and communities diverse.
View less >
View more >Sharing of water between competing uses of surface and groundwater systems across Australia is based on water plans. Based on adaptive management, planning involves the use of participatory processes to achieve a balance between consumptive and in-stream uses of water. Tensions between different stakeholders and values are particularly evident where overallocated water systems are required to be returned to an environmentally sustainable level of extraction, as shown in current processes for a Basin Plan in the Murray-Darling. Parliamentary enquiries have called for the incorporation of "local" approaches in water planning to ease these tensions. Two recent projects identify barriers and bridges to collaborative water planning, and in a variety of contexts, trial practical tools to address issues identified by stakeholders and agencies. Major findings include identification of factors that improve community confidence of plans. These results have implications for water planning in other countries especially where the science is contested, social values are uncertain and communities diverse.
View less >
Journal Title
WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment
Volume
168
Copyright Statement
Self-archiving of the author-manuscript version is not yet supported by this journal. Please refer to the journal link for access to the definitive, published version or contact the author for more information.
Subject
Environmental and Natural Resources Law