Market Failure or Governmental Failure? A Study of China's Water Abstraction Policies

2011 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
pp. 951-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Li ◽  
Melanie Beresford ◽  
Guojun Song
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Market Failure ◽  
Local Level ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Water Management System ◽  
Water Abstraction ◽  
The Public ◽  
Accessible Information ◽  
Institutional Dimension ◽  
Low Levels

AbstractChina's water abstraction policies are significant for illustrating the application of market-based instruments in a transitional and developing country and for shedding light on improving China's water management system. This article presents a new approach to analysing applications of market-based instruments for water resources in China. Expanding the analysis beyond a rational choice approach, it demonstrates the institutional dimension of policy implementation at the local level in China. Four peculiar features of China's water institutions influence local governments in dealing with water abstraction differently from how regulators might expect. This explains local governmental failures and the implementation of water abstraction policies in several ways, including the setting of charges at low levels, a lack of necessary monitoring and sanctions, few incentives to collect charges diligently, and failure to provide accessible information for the public.

scholarly journals Renewable Energy Attitudes and Behaviour of Local Governments in Poland

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 2765
Author(s):  
Joanna Rakowska ◽  
Irena Ozimek
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
The Public ◽  
Energy Behavior ◽  
Public Aid ◽  
Energy Projects

The deployment of renewable energy at the local level can contribute significantly to mitigating climate change, improving energy security and increasing social, economic and environmental benefits. In many countries local authorities play an important role in the local development, but renewable energy deployment is not an obligatory task for them. Hence there are two research questions: (1) Do local governments think investments in renewable energy (RE) are urgent and affordable within the local budgets? (2) How do they react to the public aid co-financing investments in renewable energy? To provide the answer we performed qualitative analysis and non-parametric tests of data from a survey of 252 local authorities, analysis of 292 strategies of local development and datasets of 1170 renewable energy projects co-financed by EU funds under operational programs 2007–2013 and 2014–2020 in Poland. Findings showed that local authorities’ attitudes were rather careful, caused by financial constraints of local budgets and the scope of obligatory tasks, which made renewable energy investments not the most urgent. Public aid was a factor significantly affecting local authorities’ behavior. It triggered local authorities’ renewable energy initiatives, increasing the number and scope of renewable energy investments as well cooperation with other municipalities and local communities. Despite this general trend, there were also considerable regional differences in local authorities’ renewable energy behavior.

scholarly journals Challenges to implementing of development plans at local-level government in Papua New Guinea

2015 ◽  
pp. 150-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Saimbel Barcson
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Level ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
The Public ◽  
The People ◽  
Development Plans ◽  
Government Reforms ◽  
Infrastructure Services ◽  
Level Government

The 1995 local-level government reforms undertaken in Papua New Guinea (PNG) were largely in response to increasing concern that the public service was failing in its responsibility towards the people.  As a result, the 1995 Organic Law on Provincial and Local Governments (OLPLLG) was established.  The prime purpose of this was to address this issue through deeper engagement of the lower levels of government, particularly local-level governments (LLGs). Almost two decades on, poor socio-economic conditions and deterioration in infrastructure/services suggest that the proposed change has not materialised.  The purpose of this paper is to address the question of whether the lower tiers of government are capable of implementing the development plans under the reforms.  The paper finds that the 1995 reforms have made LLGs dependent upon their Joint District Planning and Budget Priorities Committee (JDP & BPC) and their district administration, which have become the main impediment to local government effectiveness.  This in turn has greatly hindered LLG capacity and has reinforced unequal relations, rather than assisting service delivery in PNG.  There is therefore a need to make LLGs more effective players.

scholarly journals Providing Public Sport Facilities in Post-Socialist Times: The Case of the Czech Republic

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-199
Author(s):  
Jakub Popelka
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Organized Sport ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
The Public ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Sport Facilities

AbstractThe paper aims to investigate current approaches to the management of public sport facilities by local governments. In the Czech Republic, local clubs traditionally played a key role in providing sport to the public. With decreasing participation in organized sport, a significant number of clubs have been forced to transfer their facilities to local governments and the sport position of local authorities has strengthened considerably in recent years. In consequence, there have been alterations in the management of public sport facilities. The findings of statistical analysis emphasize an increasing role of specialized organizations at the expense of in-house management or external provision (facilities hired out to sport clubs). Moreover, local population and type of facility were found to be the possible reasons for different approaches. In-house management is associated with smaller municipalities whereas most of their facilities have the character of public goods. In contrast, publicly funded organizations and municipal enterprises appear in municipalities with larger populations providing sport facilities of regional importance in the form of mixed goods. Finally, clubs, as representatives of external provision, mostly provide sport facilities primarily intended for their own purposes - club goods. In the context of recent works and contemporary trends in sport participation, the research findings indicate that different forms of management may have significant effects not only on efficiency of public budgets but also on conditions for sport at local level - especially on targeting those who would participate in sport if they had access to new opportunities or leisure programs.

scholarly journals Struktury terytorialne państwa – w poszukiwaniu optymalnych rozwiązań

2012 ◽  
pp. 129-152
Author(s):  
Marcin Sakowicz
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Level ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Federal States ◽  
Territorial Structure ◽  
Territorial Organization ◽  
The One ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
European Union Member States

The article presents changes in the territorial structure, especially in the local governments, that have taken place in selected countries of European Union in the last 20 years. Changes on the local level and adjustments on the regional level as experienced by unitary states (Scandinavian and Baltic states), federal states (Belgium), states with regional autonomy (Spain) and states that underwent devolution (United Kingdom) are presented. The territorial organization of European Union member states reflects differences in governing and managing structures adjusted to the characteristics of each state. The undertaken reforms relate on the one hand to political, economic and civilizational conditions, and on the other hand to brand new approach to fulfillment of the tasks of public administration (both governmental and self governmental) that would be the most effective, efficient and satisfying the needs of citizens. In many countries, particularly Scandinavian, reforms have been implemented aiming at decreasing of the number of communes.

scholarly journals Spatial Diversification Of The Regional Expenses On Culture In Poland 2003-2012

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 237-252
Author(s):  
Adam Mateusz Suchecki
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Cultural Institutions ◽  
Location Quotient ◽  
The Public ◽  
National Heritage ◽  
Spatial Diversification ◽  
Budgetary Expenditure

Following the completion of the process of decentralization of the public administration in Poland in 2003, a number of tasks implemented so far by the state authorities were transferred to the local level. One of the most significant changes in the methods of financing and management of the local authorities was the transfer of culture and national heritage-related tasks to a group of the own tasks implemented by local governments. As a result of the decentralization process, the local government units in Poland were given a significant autonomy in determining the purposes of their budgetary expenditure on culture. At the same time they were obliged to cover these expenses from their own revenue. This paper focuses on the analysis of expenditure on culture covered by the provincial budgets, taking into consideration the structure of cultural institutions by their types in the years 2003, 2006, 2010 and 2012. To illustrate the diversity of the expenditure on culture by the type of the institutions in particular provinces, one applied the location quotient (LQ), which reflects a spatial distribution of expenditure on culture in relation to reference expenses incurred by the cultural institutions in Poland.

Urban utilities and opportunities for the private sector in local energy services in Switzerland

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-218
Author(s):  
Carmen Araquistain Portela
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Local Energy ◽  
Public Provision ◽  
Energy Services ◽  
The Public ◽  
Local Services ◽  
House Production

The delivery of local services is one of Swiss local governments’ main tasks and has a long tradition of public provision. In the last few decades, a shift from in-house production to the corporatization of utilities has emerged in Switzerland, but the public sector is still seen as predominant in the provision of local services. This research explores the current situation of urban utilities in Switzerland and which factors influence the opportunities for the private sector in the provision of energy services at the local level. Results show that opportunities for the private sector and disruptive actors in energy services might rely on partnerships with public institutions and on innovative services.

scholarly journals Subsidiarity in the service of regional policy: The perspective from Poland’s West Pomerania region

European View ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-61
Author(s):  
Olgierd Geblewicz
Keyword(s):  
Public Administration ◽  
Development Policy ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Regional Policy ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
The Public ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Local Levels

Poland’s local governments, introduced into the public administration system in two stages in 1989 and 1999, have become important actors in the development policy conducted at the national and local levels. Setting up voivodeships—the third-level units of local government—was particularly significant for building strong foundations for a comprehensive regional policy in Poland. Voivodeships create the conditions needed for the long-term economic and social development of their territories. That is why voivodeships should be governed by visionaries rather than administrators. The direct responsibility for regional development planning and programming positions their leaders as the coordinators of development activities in the region and the wise investors of EU funds. Their role must be reflected in the appropriate coordination of development activities at the local level and the ability to offer territorially sensitive financial tools to local communities.

scholarly journals Democratic Decentralization and Empowerment of Local Government Associations in Kerala

2009 ◽  
pp. 128-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Ramakantan
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Public Management ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Constitutional Amendment ◽  
The Public ◽  
Indian State ◽  
Democratic Decentralization ◽  
The Government

During the past decade the Indian state of Kerala has been successfully carrying out democratic decentralization, and has substantially transformed the functions of local governments in line with the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts, which institutionalised the local government system in India. In particular, formulation and implementation of micro plans with community participation has produced remarkable changes in the dynamics of local development and in the public management of local governments. This initiative for participatory planning at the local level taken by the government of Kerala enormously empowered local communities and the different actors in the local political system.

scholarly journals Constitutional and legal principles of regionalization in European countries: structural and functional characteristics of the mechanism of public power

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Grynchak
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Level ◽  
The State ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Public Power ◽  
Decentralized System ◽  
The Public ◽  
Democratic State

The article analyzes the basic principles of regionalization in European countries and highlights the key features of the mechanism of functioning of public authorities in the context of regionalization. The European experience convincingly shows that an effective decentralized system of territorial organization of public power and administration is an integral part of a modern democratic state governed by the rule of law. The institutional basis for such a system is effective local government and balanced regional development. Decentralization and regionalization are interconnected: regionalization cannot occur without decentralization. Regionalization is, in fact, decentralization, taking into account the regional characteristics of the state. Based on the principle of division of powers, for each democratic state it is necessary to delineate the competence of public authorities. In turn, it is extremely important to determine the optimal level of concentration of power powers for each institutional link in the public power system - with the subsequent transfer of “excess” powers to the subjects as close as possible to the population, that is, their decentralization. Regionalization means a way of defining and delimiting tasks and functions, in which most of them are transferred from the level of central bodies to a lower level and become their own tasks and powers of lower-level bodies, in particular, regions. Governance at the local level and in local affairs can be carried out in two ways: both by officials of the state apparatus appointed “from above”, functioning “on the ground” (officials of state authorities), and by local governments and other entities authorized by the state. It can also be noted that the share of administrative activities is assigned to regional bodies or other state-authorized entities. This decentralization of power in the state contributes to the development of democracy, because there is an expansion of the influence of territorial communities, social groups and the public on the implementation of public functions of government in order to optimally meet the diverse needs of the population. Regionalization is associated with the process of redistribution of public power resources (including power) between different levels and centers of public power in two directions: from the state to its internal formation (autonomies, subjects of the federation), and also from the state to cross-border structures and international centers public authorities (trans-European regions, international organizations, transnational corporations). Regionalism should be understood as an interconnected political and economic system that ensures the special status of regional entities in the political system of the state, the participation of regions in the implementation of state power, European integration and international relations, their relative economic and fiscal independence in a unitary and/or federal state. Regionalism is also expressed in policies that stimulate the endowing the regions with a certain degree of political independence. Regionalism is associated with the desire and movement of regions towards freedom of self-government, preservation and respect of their traditional culture and peculiar institutions.

scholarly journals Protracted Public Service Improvement at the Local Level

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-71
Author(s):  
Defny Holidin
Keyword(s):  
Public Service ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Service Improvement ◽  
Improvement Strategy ◽  
Policy Document ◽  
The Public

Artikel ini bertujuan pada eksaminasi kesesuaian agenda kebijakan sertifikasi pelayanan publik dengan mempertimbangkan kinerja pemerintahan daerah saat ini. Studi dilakukan dengan pendekatan kualitatif dengan pengumpulan data secara intensif yang menimbang spesifikasi konteks lokal menurut kebijakan desentralisasi yang menjadi arus utama reformasi struktural tata kelola pemerintahan di Indonesia. Meski standar pelayanan publik diberlakukan berdasarkan peraturan-peraturan turunan Undang-Undang Pelayanan Publik No. 25 Tahun 2009, upaya lebih lanjut oleh pemerintahan daerah tak pelak diperlukan. Studi ini dijalankan secara kualitatif di Surabaya, memperhitungkan posisinya pada papan atas pemerintahan daerah yang reformis dan inovatif. Studi ini terdiri atas analisis dokumen kebijakan dan wawancara mendalam untuk pengumpulan datanya. Hasil studi menunjukkan bahwa implementasi sertifikasi pelayanan publik sekiranya bisa mengarah pada penyesuaian struktural. Terlepas dari kategorisasi layanan pemerintah menurut karakternya masing-masing, berbagai penyesuaian struktural diperlukan menurut konteks masing-masing daerah. Pelibatan berbagai komunitas lokal perlu pengembangan lebih lanjut sebagai cara standar memastikan bahwa sertifikasi tidak hanya relevan tapi juga menjadi bagian integral dari strategi peningkatan pembangunan daerah. The article aims at examining the suitability of the policy agenda of public service certification for the prevalence of local governments' performance. I conduct qualitative approach with intensive data collection, considering of local context specificities upon which decentralization has been mainstreaming in the state structural reform in Indonesia. Although the public service standard takes into effects based on certain regulations derived from the Public Service Act 25/2009, efforts made by local government is deemed necessary. To make the study manageable, I conduct a case study qualitatively in Surabaya considering its prominence in local bureaucracy reform and innovation. I conduct a series of policy document analysis and in-depth interviews for data enquiry. I suggest that the implementation of public service certification is likely to lead to various adjustments towards strengthening the standards to be applied. Apart from categorizing the government services according to the different characteristics of each type of service, various structural adjustments are necessary according to the local context of each region. The local community involvement mechanism still needs improvements as standard enforcement in all regions so that public service certification is not only relevant but also an integral part of the local development improvement strategy.

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