90
parts of the Fergana Valley in Central Asia and the Lower Jordan Valley in the Middle
East, which entail a broad range of issues that are relevant to the comprehensive
evaluation of major water engineering projects. Furthermore, the selection of the case
studies refl ects the competences and experiences of the contributors to this volume,
which has improved the accessibility to information and data.
The case studies cover the most prominent issues being discussed throughout the
world when it comes to the implementation of MWEPs, including issues of
Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), water governance, the “foodwater- energy nexus”, ecosystem services, issues of transboundary water management, the challenges posed by climate change, political/governance instruments and
societal transformation.
Both case studies are located in geopolitical hot spots, where water appears both
as a source of confl ict and as an occasion for cooperation. Each of the case studies
refl ects the weaknesses of the international law and regulations with concern to
transboundary management issues. Both regions are affected by climate change
with mainly negative consequences on water availability. Societal issues, political
transformations and the consequences of historical decisions characterise current
water management systems in the selected regions. Very different approaches are
pursued in the case studies with regard to solutions for overcoming water shortages,
securing energy and producing food. The regions illustrate the signifi cant impact of
state and governmental failures on the water management. In addition, the lessons
learned so far both in the Fergana Valley and in the Lower Jordan Valley reveal that
many problems of water management cannot be solved only within the water management sector in its own narrow defi nitions, but that they have to be tackled from
a more general societal and economic perspective.
The Red Sea–Dead Sea (RSDS) Conveyance Project in the Middle East offers
the opportunity to study a major project in its planning phase. In many countries
other than Israel and Jordan respectively, seawater desalination will be a major strategy in the future for overcoming water shortages. Therefore, the Lower Jordan
Valley case study may be perceived as being exemplary for countries under similar
conditions. The Fergana Valley case study focuses on past decisions and the resulting path dependencies; this shows how consequences of technically driven decisions have to be dealt with by following generations.
Information and material on the case studies was collected with comprehensive
literature research and analysis. In 2014, a research journey to the Fergana Valley
was carried out by several authors of this volume with the support of the German
Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The central Fergana Valley irrigation systems and the role of the water users associations (WUAs) were in the focus of this
research visit. Discussions with local stakeholders and decision makers and the
exchange with researchers from Central Asia provided valuable insight into the
regional situation.
With regard to the case study of the Lower Jordan Valley, an international workshop on the RSDS project with Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian experts was organised in 2013. A research trip to Jordan was carried out for the preparation of this
workshop, its results eventually being presented to and discussed with members of
C. Bismuth et al.
parts of the Fergana Valley in Central Asia and the Lower Jordan Valley in the Middle
East, which entail a broad range of issues that are relevant to the comprehensive
evaluation of major water engineering projects. Furthermore, the selection of the case
studies refl ects the competences and experiences of the contributors to this volume,
which has improved the accessibility to information and data.
The case studies cover the most prominent issues being discussed throughout the
world when it comes to the implementation of MWEPs, including issues of
Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), water governance, the “foodwater- energy nexus”, ecosystem services, issues of transboundary water management, the challenges posed by climate change, political/governance instruments and
societal transformation.
Both case studies are located in geopolitical hot spots, where water appears both
as a source of confl ict and as an occasion for cooperation. Each of the case studies
refl ects the weaknesses of the international law and regulations with concern to
transboundary management issues. Both regions are affected by climate change
with mainly negative consequences on water availability. Societal issues, political
transformations and the consequences of historical decisions characterise current
water management systems in the selected regions. Very different approaches are
pursued in the case studies with regard to solutions for overcoming water shortages,
securing energy and producing food. The regions illustrate the signifi cant impact of
state and governmental failures on the water management. In addition, the lessons
learned so far both in the Fergana Valley and in the Lower Jordan Valley reveal that
many problems of water management cannot be solved only within the water management sector in its own narrow defi nitions, but that they have to be tackled from
a more general societal and economic perspective.
The Red Sea–Dead Sea (RSDS) Conveyance Project in the Middle East offers
the opportunity to study a major project in its planning phase. In many countries
other than Israel and Jordan respectively, seawater desalination will be a major strategy in the future for overcoming water shortages. Therefore, the Lower Jordan
Valley case study may be perceived as being exemplary for countries under similar
conditions. The Fergana Valley case study focuses on past decisions and the resulting path dependencies; this shows how consequences of technically driven decisions have to be dealt with by following generations.
Information and material on the case studies was collected with comprehensive
literature research and analysis. In 2014, a research journey to the Fergana Valley
was carried out by several authors of this volume with the support of the German
Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The central Fergana Valley irrigation systems and the role of the water users associations (WUAs) were in the focus of this
research visit. Discussions with local stakeholders and decision makers and the
exchange with researchers from Central Asia provided valuable insight into the
regional situation.
With regard to the case study of the Lower Jordan Valley, an international workshop on the RSDS project with Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian experts was organised in 2013. A research trip to Jordan was carried out for the preparation of this
workshop, its results eventually being presented to and discussed with members of
C. Bismuth et al.