What is IWRM?

In my last post I gave a short definition what IWRM is about. It was the official definition according to the United Nations. It sounds very reasonable, but at the same time a bit vague. It is not a precise strategy, but more some guidelines.

Therefore, everybody understands IWRM differently. Especially the part “integrated”. I will go with the definition from GWP (TAC background papers No. 4, 2000). According to them, “integrated” means the connection between the natural system and the human system. Unlike other interpretations, which are only describing the natural availability of water.

The idea behind that is, the water manager has no longer a “neutral role”, he does actively influence the availability and quality of water. There are natural limits as well, but there are not the only ones any more. Through pricing, pollution, bad water management or even climate change can the human system affects the natural system. (GWP, TAC background papers No. 4, 2000)

IWRM is a global concept and a reaction of recent developments on our planet. There are several factors, which put pressure on our water resources.

·      Population growth: Not only more demand, but also more pollution in particular in the urban areas.

·      Different lifestyle: More wealth leads to a bigger water footprint, especially more demand for virtual water, for example meat.

·      Globalization: The use of the cheapest production areas often implicates more water consumption and pollution in in more vulnerable areas.

·      Climate change: More natural hazards, an increase of desserts and of course more evapotranspiration through a warmer climate.

Therefore, there is a need for a global water management system like IWRM to face the challenges listed above. (UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment. 2009)

The origins for IWRM you can find in the international conference on water and the environment in Dublin in 1992, where 500 govern­ment experts from 100 countries created the Dublin principles, the key principles to IWRM. (UNEP-DHI Centre forWater and Environment. 2009)

Figure 1: UNEP-DHI Centre forWater and Environment. 2009

These principles helped to create the “three pillars” of IWRM.

1.     “Moving towards an enabling environment of appropriate policies, strategies and legislation for sustainable water resources development and management.

2.     Putting in place the institutional framework through which the policies, strategies and legisla­tion can be implemented.

3.     Setting up the management instruments required by these institutions to do their job.” (UNEP-DHICentre for Water and Environment. 2009)

Figure 2: UNEP-DHI Centre forWater and Environment. 2009

IWRM is not a strict theory, it is more like a guideline or a language, which leads to a better understanding between stakeholders or even different levels like regional, national and across borders. (UNEP-DHI Centre for Water andEnvironment. 2009)

In this post, I tried to explain the IWRM concept. In my next post, I will focus more on a specific area and I will analyse how IWRM actually works. What I already promised in my first post, but didn’t achieve in this one. I am sorry for that!