Administrative or hydrological borders for effective water management?

Water bodies (rivers, lakes, groundwater, etc.) form a particular governance challenge as they hardly adhere to political and territorial borders. To account for this complexity, the 2000 EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) introduced the provision that European waters should be managed according to their hydrological boundaries. At the same time, the directive did not specify how such governance systems should be designed, leaving considerable leeway to its member states. The result is a patchwork of different organizational orders next to each other – some orientated at hydrological boundaries (e.g. river basin districts), others at administrative boundaries (e.g. regions or administrative districts) – sometimes even with one and the same EU member state.

Now, almost 25 years after the introduction of the WFD, it appears timely to compare and evaluate the different spatial forms of governance and explore their respective advantages and disadvantages in effectively managing water resources and ultimately in improving the ecological status of water bodies.

Hence, it is the aim of this MSc thesis to compare – through qualitative or quantitative means – the links between water governance structures and its outcomes. Drawing on various literatures for public administration, water resources management and environmental governance, the successful candidate will set up a conceptual frame for the analysis and implement it either through comparative qualitative or quantitative research.

Applicants with a background in water management, planning, policy studies, sustainability, or related fields are encouraged to apply. Proficiency in qualitative or quantitative research methods is desirable. The findings from this research are expected to contribute valuable insights to academia and inform evidence-based policymaking for healthier and more sustainable water systems in the EU context.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications, including a CV and a brief research proposal outlining their approach to study the impact of governance structures within European water resources management.

For further inquiries, please contact dr. Nicolas Jager.