A collaborative approach to address the cumulative impacts of mine-water discharge: Negotiating a cross-sectoral waterway partnership in the Bowen Basin, Australia

Abstract

The social and environmental impacts of rapidly expanding coal and gas industries have generated high levels of public concern and there is increasing evidence of cumulative impacts. In the Bowen Basin of Queensland (Australia) water quality issues have triggered a collaborative response to coordinate monitoring efforts, integrate data and information and undertake regional analysis to inform landscape-scale management. Collaborative governance is promoted as a response to complex environmental problems, such as cumulative impacts. However, application of this approach to the resources and energy sectors remains a significant research gap. This paper reports the results of action research in the 2 years taken to negotiate the establishment of collaborative governance arrangements to address mine-water discharge impacts in the Bowen Basin. The long establishment phase has been required to refine objectives, build trust, develop governance mechanisms and secure resourcing commitments. The partnership established involves more than 20 organisations including regulators, resources and energy companies, agricultural industries and research organisations. The breadth of participating sectors is a significant innovation, but also represents a major challenge in establishing this model of regional environmental governance. Promising strategies adopted to manage these tensions have included neutral brokerage, facilitative leadership, establishing legitimacy of the collaboration and credibility of its reports. The case study provides a cautionary tale of the pursuit of the promise of 'everyone working together' to address cumulative impacts. Policy implications include the need for extended commitment and integration of collaborative and other responses. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.