Models and Decisions Support Systems for Participatory Decision Making in Integrated Water Resource Management

Abstract

According to the definition provided by the Global Water Partnership (GWP), Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) ``is a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems'' (GWP-TAC, 2000). The emphasis is thus on the coordinated development and management of water and land resources, with the shared objective of maximising socio-economic welfare in such a way that key ecosystem functions are maintained. IWRM adopts the principles of ecological sciences in terms of system approaches and technical and analytical tools to tackle water management problems. A common paradigm within the context of IWRM is the relevance of the participatory approach, which is becoming a prerequisite of every legislation and plan. According to the GWP again, Public Participation (PP) requires ``that stakeholders at all levels of the social structure have an impact on decisions at different levels of water management''. Only PP at all levels (international, national regional and local) may assure transparency and accountability of the policy/decision process. In the field of water management, integrated approaches to the resource imply the need for considering the social aspects of water use, as well as the economic and environmental spheres.