Towards Better Water Governance through Implementing IWRM in the Li River Basin, China

Environmental degradation and unsustainable use of water resources has become an obstacle to further economic development and the well-being of the population in the Li River basin. This paper explores the concept and principles of integrated water resources management (IWRM) in relation to their applicability to the Li River basin. The assessment on its physical and socioeconomic characteristics and its current institutional systems in the Li River Basin provides an appreciation of the whole river basin. Sectoral fragmentation and the absence of coordination mechanism (or body) are identified as the institutional factors in this study that caused water related issues. In order to overcome shortfalls of the current fragmented management system, formation of Watershed Management Committee is highly recommended as the core of reforming efforts, which is expected to coordinate effective planning and implementation of equitable, efficient and sustainable use of natural resources in the basin with a view to improving the sustainability of its economic development. Several other reform recommendations are also provided and expected to be a departure point towards better water governance in the Li River basin through the implementation of IWRM. Lastly we explore to what extent the proposed recommendations would be supported by the current national policy framework.