The Establishment of Catchment Management Agencies in South Africa with Reference to the Flussgebietsgemeinschaft Elbe : Some Practical Considerations Freshwater Governance for the 21st Century

Abstract

This book on freshwater governance contains information that many practitioners in the water fi eld will be looking for. The water-related challenges have reached a climax with an unoptimistic future expected to feature more competition between users. These stresses will be exacerbated by climate change which is likely to increase water demand while shrinking water supplies. Intense competition for water resources will be experienced not only by private users but will also affect the public sector; however, national plans repeatedly fail to show the ability to provide a coherent outlook for development in which water needs are adequately projected and resources smartly shared. The list of contributors of this book (more than 30 authors from around the globe) refl ects a wide range of expertise, and the themes covered will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers. These authors, while attempting to provide workable solutions, draw on their wealth of experience and in many instances share the les- sons learnt from what has not worked to what has worked. The tools offered can also assist in furthering the thinking around water governance. Although the focus is on water, there are many synergies with the governance of many other natural resources. The purpose of this book is to illustrate, in broad terms, the general matters of freshwater governance, mapping the spectrum of decision-making. The book aspires to contribute to the transitioning between techno-centric and eco-centric approaches, or a hybrid concept, to people-centric approaches. The set of book chapters pre- sented in this volume will be based on the existing current knowledge as well as the authors’ experience working in the water sector, using nontechnical jargon in order to reach a wider audience. The target audience of this volume will range from aca- demics, technicians, decision-makers, and managers to students; the aim is to target not just academia but also policy-makers and deep thinkers. This book has been more than 2 years in the making, and for those who know the water sector, many changes will have occurred during these years. Some of the information contained in this book may therefore be dated as new information may have become available in the intervening years; nonetheless, I trust that the content will be of interest to the readers.