Subnational Hydropolitics

Conflict, Cooperation, and Institution-Building in Shared River Basins

Scott M. Moore

The first book-length examination of subnational hydropolitics: why states and provinces, as well as countries, fight over shared water resources
Features a new theory of the factors that shape the dynamics of conflict and cooperation over water: decentralization, sectional identity, and political participation
Proposes solutions for how to improve international cooperation in shared river basins
Discusses how climate change will affect hydropolitics, especially in the Colorado and Yellow River Basins

Subnational Hydropolitics

Conflict, Cooperation, and Institution-Building in Shared River Basins

Scott M. Moore

Description

The prospect of international conflict over water has long been the subject of academic and popular concern, but subnational political conflict is considerably more common, and almost certainly imposes greater economic and environmental costs. Indeed, subnational hydropolitics are an important feature of several large countries, including the United States, India, and China. Moreover, disputes between water users in shared river basins have often persisted despite repeated attempts by central governments to resolve them through both persuasion and coercion. Yet despite the growing threat of water scarcity around the world, little research exists on sub-national politics of shared water resources. This book attempts to fill the gap by explaining how and why hydropolitics play out within countries, as well as between them.

Subnational Hydropolitics re-examines the issue of water conflict by examining conflicts at the subnational rather than international level. By examining several in-depth case studies of both conflict and cooperation, Scott Moore argues that increasing sub-national water conflict is driven by two inter-linked forces, identity politics, which gives subnational politicians a reason to compete over shared water resources; and political decentralization, which provides them with the tools to do so. To understand politics at the subnational level, the book blends insights from both the environmental governance and comparative politics literatures. By examining the challenges many countries face in achieving cooperation over shared water resources, the book helps to shed light on different mechanisms and processes for solving cooperation problems at the regional scale lessons relevant to tackling a wide range of transboundary environmental problems, including air pollution, urbanization, and ecosystem protection. But at its core, this book promises a definitive contribution to the growing sub-field of environmental politics, centered on understanding how different countries attempt to solve the problems inherent in governing water resources in shared river basins.

Subnational Hydropolitics

Conflict, Cooperation, and Institution-Building in Shared River Basins

Scott M. Moore

Preface
Glossary
Introduction: Subnational Hydropolitics
Chapter 1. Deconstructing the State: Subnational Conflict and Cooperation over Water
Chapter 2. Constrained Collective Action: Decentralization, Autonomy, and Institutionalized Cooperation in Shared River Basins
Chapter 3. Dynamics of Hydropolitics: Sustaining Conflict and Catalyzing Cooperation over Water
Chapter 4. Institutional Diversity and Inter-State Hydropolitics in the United States of America
Chapter 5. Ethno-Linguistic Cleavages and Inter-State River Disputes in the Union of India
Chapter 6. Central Control, Localized Interests, and Inter-Provincial Conflict in the People's Republic of China
Chapter 7. Elites, Civil Society, and Inclusive Institution-Building in the Republic of France
Conclusions and Policy Recommendations
Glossary
Bibliography

Subnational Hydropolitics

Conflict, Cooperation, and Institution-Building in Shared River Basins

Scott M. Moore

Author Information

Scott Moore is a scholar and policymaker focused on environmental issues, especially water resources, climate change, and oceans. His research and commentary on these issues has appeared in Nature, Foreign Affairs, and The New York Times. His work experience includes the U.S. State Department, where he led U.S. - China cooperation on climate change and ocean conservation, and the World Bank, where he led water sector institutional reform and financing projects as a Young Professional. He holds an undergraduate degree from Princeton, and a master's and doctoral degrees from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He currently serves as a Senior Fellow of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Subnational Hydropolitics

Conflict, Cooperation, and Institution-Building in Shared River Basins

Scott M. Moore

Reviews and Awards

"This timely and masterful work illuminates vexing environmental and political challenges and offers pertinent solutions... Summing Up: Highly Recommended." -- CHOICE

"Moore proffers four case studies to demonstrate how different forms of governments are addressing intra-basin conflicts. The initial example involves the Colorado River, which has been contested since the 19th century and has an international aspect. The focus then shifts to India's Krishna River basin, where the inability of federal and state actors to forge a compromise threatens the country's political stability. Contrasting is a fascinating study of the challenges faced by China's centralized government over management of the Yellow River basin. The final exemplar involves France, which has had a water agency for each of its river basins since the 1960s and enjoys relative peace over its water. This timely and masterful work illuminates vexing environmental and political challenges and offers pertinent solutions." -- Dr John Burch Jr, University of Tennessee at Martin

"This is an original and insightful contribution to our understanding of the politics and financing of water. Dr. Moore's research demands to be read by the broadest possible range of development practitioners and scholars." -- Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia and co-author of Australia's National Water Initiative

Subnational Hydropolitics

Conflict, Cooperation, and Institution-Building in Shared River Basins

Scott M. Moore

From Our Blog

Water scarcity, warfare, and the paradox of value

Back in 1995, then World Bank Vice President Ismail Serageldin made an important prediction about the future: 'The wars of the next century will be fought over water.' Thankfully, No wars have been fought strictly over water in modern history. In fact globally the number of international agreements over water far exceeds the number of international conflicts. That paradox shows that water can be just as powerful a driver of cooperation as of conflict between nations, regions, and communities. But that doesn't mean Serageldin is wrong.

Posted on May 28, 2019

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