The Evolution of National Water Regimes in Europe: Transitions in Water Rights and Water Policies (Environment & Policy Book 40)

All over the world countries struggle with water stress. Problems vary from water scarcity and a degrading water quality, to floods and a rising sea level due to climate change. The European Union adopted a Water Framework Directive to improve the sustainability of water management in its member states. Water management should be coordinated at the level of river basins as a whole. Interests of various user groups should be better represented. River basin visions should take into account the impact of all human activities on the status of the resource. Water legislation needs streamlining and more focus on its implementation. The European Union advocates regulating water prices by charging the costs of water services on the basis of full cost recovery and the polluter pays principle. This book examines the development of water management in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy and Switzerland. It is based on the European research project EUWARENESS. The authors apply a theoretical framework for the analysis of institutional regimes, water governance and property rights. The evolution of national water resource regimes is described over a period of almost 200 years (1800-2000). The long-term perspective enables the reader to see the conditions under which regime transformation and paradigm change are made possible. The book also includes a critical analysis of policy making by the European Union, and a comparative review and analysis of regime development in the six countries involved. This book is followed by another volume published with Kluwer Academic Publishers on "Integrated Governance and Water Basin Management", edited by Hans Bressers and Stefan Kuks. Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Introduction to Institutional Resource Regimes....Pages 1-23 The Sustainability Performance of National Resource Regimes....Pages 25-48 The Evolution of European Water Policy....Pages 49-86 The Evolution of the Water Regime in the Netherlands....Pages 87-141 The Evolution of the Water Regimes in Belgium....Pages 143-185 The Evolution of the Water Regime in France....Pages 187-234 The Evolution of the Water Regime in Spain....Pages 235-263 The Evolution of the Water Regime in Italy....Pages 265-291 The Evolution of the Water Regime in Switzerland....Pages 293-328 Comparative Review and Analysis of Regime Changes in Europe....Pages 329-368 Back Matter....Pages 369-371