Old Institutions Dealing With the Challenge of Sustainability: Water Planning in Spanish Inter-Regional Basins as a Wicked Problem

Abstract

The management of inter-regional basins in the Spanish case is a clear example of the complexity of water policy. The entry into force of the Water Framework Directive changed the objective and design process of public policy, prioritizing the conservation of river ecosystems and establishing the mandate for participation and inter-administrative coordination. This expanded the number of participants, creating a network of public and private actors with different interests and perceptions, bringing the water issue closer to what is often referred to in public policy as a wicked problem. In this chapter, we highlight how the Spanish political sphere has approached water policy in this new context, paying special attention to the role played by river basin organizations. To this end, we deal with two conflicts: the first concerning the Ebro Delta and the second on the water transfer between the Tajo and Segura rivers. Both cases show the inability of the central bodies of the State, the autonomous communities, and private agents to reach a consensus on water policy, which ends up shaping a decision-making system in which, although the legislative resources of the stakeholders are key, and the policy capacity of the basin organizations is reduced.

Citation

De la Peña Varona, A. and Mondragón, J. (2024), "Old Institutions Dealing With the Challenge of Sustainability: Water Planning in Spanish Inter-Regional Basins as a Wicked Problem", Lippi, A. and Tsekos, T.N. (Ed.) Policy Capacity, Design and the Sustainable Development Goals, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 183-200. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80455-686-320241015