WAT-E2080 - Water and Governance L, 08.01.2019-26.02.2019
This course space end date is set to 26.02.2019 Search Courses: WAT-E2080
Descriptions: Case Studies
UN-Water & Sustainable Development Goals SDGs (global)
Your Case Study focuses on global scale, and looks at the governance of Sustainable Development Goals i.e. SDGs (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs), with specific focus on water-related SDG 6. For this reason, you will also look at the role that UN-Water has in SDG implementation.
UN-Water coordinates the efforts of United Nations entities and international organizations working on water and sanitation issues: it is not, however, an organisation but rather a coordinating body. The SDGs are globally agreed objectives for international development, setting the agenda for sustainable development until year 2030. The SDGs process is led by the United Nations, but their implementation is the common responsibility for all of us. While there is also a water-specific SDG (SDG6), several other goals are closely linked to water as well.
Mekong River (regional)
Your Case Study focuses on regional scale, and looks at the governance relate to transboundary Mekong River. The Mekong is shared by six South-East Asian countries of China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The river basin is seeing one of the most rapid hydropower development in the world, which is making transboundary cooperation in the region particularly important – and challenging.
In terms of actual water resources management within the river basin, they key organisation is the regional Mekong River Commission (MRC) that have four lower Mekong Basin countries as its members (http://www.mrcmekong.org). Increasingly important is also newer, China-led Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism and its Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Center. In terms of entire Mekong Region and its economic development, the key organisation is the ADB-led Greater Mekong Subregion Programme (https://www.adb.org/countries/gms/) Your analysis can focus on either one or all of these organisations.
Finnish environmental governance & WFD implementation (national)
Your Case Study focuses on national (and regional) scale, and looks at how the EU Water Framework Directive WFD (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework) is being implemented in Finland, and how Finland's environmental governance is generally organised.
The WFD is among the key legal mechanisms to guide water resources management in the European Union member countries, including Finland. Your group will take a view on Finnish environmental governance system, including the key actors at different scales as well as the main institutions (laws, structures etc.). One practical way to do this is to look at how the WFD is being implemented in Finland: who are the key actors and what kind of processes it entails?
Kemijoki EIA (local)
Your Case Study focuses on local scale, and looks at hydropower development and operation in Kemijoki River Basin as well as related environmental permitting and EIA processes.
Main actor in your Case Study is therefore Kemijoki Oy, who is operating 16 hydropower plants and related reservoirs in River Kemijoki (https://www.kemijoki.fi/en). Your group task is to analyse how the permitting and EIA processes are working in Kemijoki River Basin, and how they contribute for the overall governance context. You can focus your Case Study on some past permitting and EIA process, or look at future plans for hydropower development in the basin.
Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY (local)
Your Case Study focuses on local scale, and looks at the governance structure of the Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY (https://www.hsy.fi/en/).
HSY is a municipal body that produces waste management and water services, and provides information on the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and environment. It is thus a major player in the Helsinki Metropolitan area, employing over 700 people and investing annually over 100 million euros to water and environmental infrastructure and services.