scholarly journals Towards sustainable utilisation of water resources: a comprehensive analysis of Ghana's National Water Policy

Water Policy ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaac Monney ◽  
Kafui Ocloo
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Integrated Water Resources Management ◽  
Gender Mainstreaming ◽  
Sea Waves ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
Water Scarce ◽  
National Water

In the years ahead, meeting the challenges of food security in a water scarce world will require drastic changes in the way water resources are managed. Accordingly, Ghana's water sector has seen tremendous changes over the years culminating in the 2007 National Water Policy. This paper evaluates the policy to highlight its strengths and weaknesses, to inform possible future review and guide new policy development in developing countries or troubleshoot existing policies. It draws on a framework based on three thematic areas distilled from global water policy development guidelines. Using a 3-point Likert scale, sub-thematic components are ranked and used to quantitatively compute the theme-specific scores (TSS) and the overall performance (OP) of the policy. Per the study findings, cross-cutting water policy issues including integrated water resources management, climate change adaptation and gender mainstreaming are more highlighted (TSS = 67%) than country-specific water management issues (TSS = 50%). Specifically, the policy neglects key national issues including protection of coastal regions from the onslaught of sea waves, and water resource protection against oil spills, and its institutional framework for implementation excludes key sector institutions. Generally, the policy addresses most pertinent issues in the water sector (OP = 64%) and areas for improvement are further discussed in the paper.

Good water governance and IWRM in Zambia: challenges and chances

Water Policy ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 845-862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Uhlendahl ◽  
Pritam Salian ◽  
Claudia Casarotto ◽  
Jakob Doetsch
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Integrated Water Resources Management ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Hydropower Production

The implementation of principles for water governance is widely accepted but challenging for the whole water sector of a developing country like Zambia, because of the legal and administrative changes and organizational requirements involved. In February 2010, a revised water policy for Zambia was approved by the Cabinet. The revised National Water Policy 2010 aims to improve water resources management by establishing institutional coordination and by defining roles as well as responsibilities for various ministries. Taking into account the previous political and administration changes, this paper points out the problems and challenges of the implementation of good water governance mechanisms in Zambia. Focusing on the Kafue River Basin, from which water is abstracted for a variety of conflicting purposes (like municipal supplies, industrial use, mining, irrigation of agricultural land, fishery activities, wetland reserves and hydropower production), the gaps in implementing good water governance and Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Zambia are identified, as well as the factors causing these gaps in the Zambian water sector. The paper finishes with a overview of the opportunities given by the new water policy through Water User Associations (WUAs) at a local level.

scholarly journals A review of the design and implementation of Ghana's National Water Policy (2007)

Water Policy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine Frimpong ◽  
Ronald Adamtey ◽  
Anders Branth Pedersen ◽  
Esther Wahaga ◽  
Anne Jensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
Integrated Water Resources Management ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Institutional Capacity ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Governance Practices ◽  
National Water

Abstract Access to water is a matter of daily survival for people around the world. Water is crucial for human survival and also central to the development of every nation. The recent literature on world water suggests that the water crisis being experienced is related to governance and not a real crisis of scarcity and stress. This paper aims at identifying water governance practices and the challenges associated with water governance in Ghana. The paper reviews the literature on the implementation of policy directives and actions with specific focus on water resources governance aspects of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Ghana. Ghana's National Water Policy is expected to turn the fortunes of the country around in terms of water resources management. Concerning water resources management, the policy advocates for an IWRM approach. Since its implementation, certain setbacks have been challenging the effectiveness of the policy, such as inadequate institutional capacity, inadequate funding, ineffective enforcement of existing regulations, inadequate legal framework, and lack of adequate data. The paper suggests, among other things, the building of both human and institutional capacity, and making the environment a government priority, as ways to contribute to the effective implementation of the National Water Policy.

scholarly journals Social Aspects of Transnational Corporations’ Activities in the New EU Member States

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-156
Author(s):  
Janina Witkowska
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Local Level ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
European Water

Water resources are among the most valuable resources of the natural environment. The sustainable and integrated management of these resources is the basis of European water policy. Pursuant to the Water Framework Directive, all waters in the European Union should achieve a state considered at least good by the year 2015. Just how this objective can be met continues to be a topic of discussions in some of the Member States. There exist serious problems and delays in performing and implementing the provisions of the Directive in most EU countries. What is more, the state of the water economy in several countries, including Poland, has been criticized by the European Commission. Many challenges stand before European water policy. They require solutions on a global and local level. This article presents current key problems and planned directions for EU water policy development, subjected to analysis and assessment. Note is taken on the newest initiative of the European Commission in the area of water policy, especially the plan for protecting Europe’s water resources—the Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s Water Resources

On the Strategy of Integrated Water Resources Management in Kazakhstan

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1821
Author(s):  
Menlibay MYRZAHMETOV ◽  
Sholpan M. UMBETOVA ◽  
Klim Sh. ASHIRYAYEV ◽  
Aigul K. KOZHAKHAN ◽  
Asel U. KANARBAY
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Management Strategy ◽  
Integrated Water Resources Management ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
State Water ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Current Stage

The article outlines the concept and presents some proposals for the implementation of the integrated water resources management strategy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The purpose of the article is to analyze the strategy of integrated water resources management in Kazakhstan. In particular, the principles for achieving a qualitatively new state of the water sector, the main components of the state water policy at the current stage, the main mechanisms for its implementation and the stages of implementation are indicated. The novelty of this article lies in the fact that the integrated water resources management at the current stage has been analyzed, and it will be interesting for other countries.

scholarly journals Data management for integrated water resources management in Central Asia

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1425-1440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iskandar Abdullaev ◽  
Shavkat Rakhmatullaev
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Data Management ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
Integrated Water Resources Management ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Institutional Settings

Information technologies can act as technical artifacts and can facilitate stakeholder communication, supporting decision making in a complex societal context. The water sector is one such example where limited water resources are threatened by climate change and growing competition for resources between sectors, regions and countries. Attempts to improve water governance and management through information technologies have been made by international, regional and national water agencies for the last 20 years in Central Asia. However, early attempts were focused on collection, systematization and analysis of the generic data related to the water sector in the region. There are still significant gaps (technical, human and financial capacities) for application of such technologies at the lower operational levels of water management, i.e. where the full dimensions of variables, interactions and complexities are observed and, most importantly, everyday politics of water are performed. The aim of this paper is to present practical results on improving water management in Central Asia through the application of better data management tools at the operational level across diverse institutional settings, i.e. transboundary, watershed levels in the region.

scholarly journals Research History and Functional Systems of Fog Water Harvesting

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manzoor Qadir ◽  
Gabriela C. Jiménez ◽  
Rebecca L. Farnum ◽  
Peter Trautwein
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Green Technology ◽  
Gender Mainstreaming ◽  
Fog Water ◽  
Functional Systems ◽  
Research History ◽  
Fog Collection ◽  
Water Collection ◽  
Water Scarce ◽  
Fog Water Collection

Water is among the top five global risks in terms of impacts translated through socio-economic and environmental challenges, influencing people's wellbeing. The situation is grim in water-scarce countries, which need to think and act beyond conventional water resources and tap unconventional water supplies to narrow the gap between water demand and supply. Among unconventional water resources, water embedded in fog is increasingly seen as a source of potable water in dry areas where fog is intense and prevalent. Although a low maintenance option and a green technology to supply freshwater, the potential to collect water from air through fog harvesting is by far under-explored. Based on the comprehensive analysis of fog water collection's research history since 1980, this study reveals that recent years have witnessed a sharp increase in research related to technological developments in fog collection systems. Also, there is an increased focus on associated policy and institutional aspects, economics, environmental dimensions, capacity building, community participation, and gender mainstreaming. In addition to research, fog water collection practice has also increased over time with emerging examples worldwide, notably from Canary Islands, Chile, Colombia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Israel, Morocco, Namibia, Oman, Peru, and South Africa. The functional systems of fog water collection demonstrate community engagement, women empowerment, enhanced capacity and training, and active participation of local institutions as the key drivers for effective fog collection systems to provide a sustainable supply of freshwater to the associated communities.

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