Adaptation in the Tisza: innovation and tribulation at the sub-basin level

ABSTRACT

This article explores the elements limiting adaptive governance in the Tisza sub-basin, considers policy options available to the sub-basin, and concludes that more attention must be paid to frameworks governing adaptation in transboundary sub-basins where resources are limited.

The Tisza is the largest sub-basin in the Danube River basin, and faces increasing water management pressures exacerbated by climate change. The Tisza countries have experienced challenges with managing climate change adaptation in a nested, consistent and effective manner pursuant to the EU Water Framework Directive. This is due to inefficiencies in climate change adaptation, such as weakened vertical coordination.

KEYWORDS:

• Sub-basin governance
• Water Framework Directive
• climate change adaptation
• Tisza

Acknowledgements

We thank the Southern Illinois University IGERT Program in Watershed Science and Policy and associated colleagues for their support. We also thank the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River for assisting in obtaining data, and for hosting Shanna during the spring of 2013 while she conducted her research.

Notes

1. Questions relevant to adaptation and multilevel governance included: (1) Are there any policies that directly or indirectly address decentralization of water governance in the Tisza sub-basin? (2) What gaps exist between policy and practice in multilevel governance? (3) What are some of the constraints and opportunities for adaptation in the Tisza? (4) What are the trends in adaptation, and what level of governance are they coming from?

2. All sub-articles in 4(1) include other adaptation-related commitments.

3. While the 2004 and 2011 MOUs are non-binding, they have provided a framework for establishing the Tisza Group and developing the Tisza sub-basin management plan and eventually the flood management plan. Despite the MOU to develop an adaptation strategy for the Tisza, to date this has not been done.

Additional information

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the United States National Science Foundation [grant no. 0903510]. Any opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.