Rivera-Torres Mariana, Gerlak Andrea K
School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA.
Development and Environment and Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, School of Geography, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA.
Int Environ Agreem. 2021;21(4):553-574. doi: 10.1007/s10784-021-09538-3. Epub 2021 May 19.
Transboundary collaboration between the United States (US) and Mexico in the Colorado River Basin has heightened in recent years, as climate change, population growth, and overallocation threaten the long-term stability of the region. Through a combination of document analysis and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, we examine patterns of change in the governance of the Colorado River, as the US and Mexico navigate socioeconomic, cultural, and political asymmetries to jointly share water over the past two decades. We ask: What key events and environmental agreements have influenced transboundary water governance in the Colorado River over the past 20 years? We draw on the rich scholarship on transboundary water governance, especially around international river basin organizations, to uncover patterns of engagement and collaboration over time. We focus on the binational scale with an eye to study governance at multiple scales including interactions and impacts at the national and subnational scales. Our findings illustrate how Mexico's role has evolved from a narrow one following a strict interpretation of the 1944 Treaty toward a more creative partnership between the US and Mexico demonstrated in binational negotiations and the creation of joint solutions to emerging challenges around water conservation and ecological restoration. We find transboundary water governance in the basin is influenced by both long-term and short-term contextual changes that can inform strategies key actors employ to bolster institutional resilience and take advantage of opportunities for transformative change. Further, we find that the evolution of the binational relationship is reflected in changes in the negotiation process and structure, which highlights the importance of trust and relationship building, transparency, joint fact-finding, and information sharing to foster collaboration. However, we also find uneven institutionalization of stakeholder participation and transparency in engagement patterns that may ultimately, serve to hinder governance and cooperation in the basin.
近年来，美国和墨西哥在科罗拉多河流域的跨界合作不断加强，因为气候变化、人口增长和水资源过度分配威胁着该地区的长期稳定。通过文献分析和对关键利益相关者的半结构化访谈相结合的方式，我们研究了科罗拉多河治理模式的变化，因为美国和墨西哥在过去二十年中应对社会经济、文化和政治不对称问题，共同分享水资源。我们提出问题：在过去20年里，哪些关键事件和环境协议影响了科罗拉多河的跨界水资源治理？我们借鉴了关于跨界水资源治理的丰富学术研究，特别是围绕国际流域组织的研究，以揭示随着时间推移的参与和合作模式。我们专注于双边层面，着眼于研究多个层面的治理，包括国家和次国家层面的互动和影响。我们的研究结果表明，墨西哥的角色已从对1944年条约的狭义解释所规定的有限角色，演变为美国和墨西哥之间更具创造性的伙伴关系，这体现在双边谈判以及围绕水资源保护和生态恢复等新出现挑战制定联合解决方案中。我们发现，该流域的跨界水资源治理受到长期和短期背景变化的影响，这些变化可为关键行为体加强机构复原力和利用变革性变化机会所采用的战略提供信息。此外，我们发现双边关系的演变反映在谈判过程和结构的变化中，这凸显了信任和关系建设、透明度、联合事实调查以及信息共享对促进合作的重要性。然而，我们也发现利益相关者参与的制度化程度参差不齐，参与模式缺乏透明度，这最终可能会阻碍该流域的治理与合作。
