IWRA Webinar – N°3

Land and Water Governance In Urban Regions


15 December 2014

A society that is expanding its use of land and water in urban areas needs to rethink the relation between planning and management. This webinar was devoted to rethinking the boundaries between land and water towards a more integrated governance approach.

The panelists outlined critical points in today’s governance debate. The unique framework discussed in this webinar identified three types of governance: vertical, horizontal, and fluid. The panellists applied these technical findings to broader questions about water quality and quantity – all of which defy political boundaries. The panelists argue that states must expand research and monitoring programs which compile, exchange and share technical data and information to promote and expand good governance. These steps transform water quality issues from a source of conflict to a tool that enhances state cooperation.

The webinar was moderated by Scott McKenzie (PhD Student, University of British Columbia Canada), and featured; Dr. Thomas Hartmann (Assistant Professor, Utrecht University, Netherlands); Dr. Barbara Warner (Scientific Referee, Academy for Spatial Research and Planning, Germany); Karen Hetz (PhD student, Humboldt University, Germany and University of the Witwatersrand South Africa); Meike Levin Keitel (PhD student, Leibniz University, Germany); and Barbara Temples (PhD student, Ghent University, Belgium).


Land and Water Governance In Urban Regions


This webinar was based on special issue of Water International (Vol.39 Issue. 6).

This special issue was also the subject of an IWRA policy brief, available here.


Please download the presentations below:

• Frontiers of Land and Water Governance in Urban Regions, Thomas Hartmann

• A co-evolving frontier between land and water, Barbara Tempels, Thomas Hartmann

• Land and Water Governance: demands of a cross-border regional planning, Barbara Warner

• Managing Urban Riverscapes, Meike Levin-Keitel