Governance in matters of water resources and wetlands: revisiting the concept, dimensions, and indicators from Latin America

Abstract

Water resources, particularly wetlands, are among the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. In this scenario, their management based on effective governance emerges as a relevant element and a challenge for decision-makers and stakeholders linked to water resources. The concept of governance has gained strength since the 1990s, as an articulator of efforts in environmental matters. It is frequently used in the design, implementation, and monitoring of public policy, and similar dimensions emerge from these instruments. Faced with this, we are interested in observing the territorial dimension of governance in its connection with water resources, that is, the interpretation of the concept made by the territorial actors linked to it. This article reports on the discussions regarding governance and how they, as well as the conceptual framework, are useful to advance the object of the article: revisiting the concept and indicators for Latin America in relation to the wetlands under study. To do this, we start from the analysis of two cases in Latin America, Paraná river in Argentina and Chinchiná river in Colombia. Around which we ask ourselves: What is meant by governance of water resources and wetlands? What are the characteristics of governance identified by the actors? How can we measure it? To answer these questions, the qualitative and quantitative methodology used includes the analysis of documents, semi-structured interviews, workshops with experts and the questionnaire implementation to validate the results. Among the results, it stands out that the concept of governance regarding water resources and wetlands has growing relevance. It is a concept in constant construction, as part of which a definition validated by the actors is proposed. Some of the elements align with its origin and historical journey while other identified notions are presented as disruptive.