Allocating responsibility for environmental risks: A comparative analysis of examples from water governance. (18th July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Doorn, Neelke
• Is Part Of: Integrated environmental assessment and management. Volume 13:Number 2(2017:Apr.)
• Page Start: 371
• Page End: 375
• Publication Date: 2016-07-18
• Subjects: Transboundary -- Water governance -- Collective action -- Environmental risks -- Environmental fairness; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Periodicals; Environmental toxicology -- Periodicals; Environmental risk assessment -- Periodicals; Environmental impact analysis -- Periodicals; 628
• DOI: 10.1002/ieam.1799
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1551-3777

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The focus of the present study is on the allocation of responsibilities for addressing environmental risks in transboundary water governance. Effective environmental management in transboundary situations requires coordinated and cooperative action among diverse individuals and organizations. Currently, little insight exists on how to foster collective action such that individuals and organizations take the responsibility to address transboundary environmental risks. On the basis of 4 cases of transboundary water governance, it will be shown how certain allocation principles are more likely to encourage cooperative action. The main lesson from these case studies is that the allocation of responsibilities should be seen as a risk distribution problem, including considerations of effectiveness, efficiency, and fairness. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:371–375. © 2016 SETAC Key Points: Effective environmental management in transboundary situations requires coordinated and cooperative action between diverse individuals and organizations. Allocation of responsibilities is crucial for effectively addressing environmental risks. Allocation principles for responsibilities that take into account considerations of efficiency, effectiveness and fairness are more likely to encourage cooperative action.