Polycentricity in the water–energy nexus: A comparison of polycentric governance traits and implications for adaptive capacity of water user associations in Spain

Abstract

This paper assesses the merits of polycentricity by looking at the water–energy nexus in the Spanish irrigation sector. In the last few decades, the Spanish electricity and water governance systems have transitioned from relatively monocentric, top‐down arrangements to arrangements that exhibit traits of polycentricity. This paper characterizes both governance systems against a series of polycentricity traits and provision and production activities. It then assesses the merits of the systems against the capacity of water user associations (WUAs) to adapt to water and electricity supply dynamics. The study relies on quantitative and archival data collected from a set of 38 irrigation systems located in north‐east Spain as well as secondary data from the broader water, energy and irrigation sectors. As illustrated in the analysis, WUAs can play a key role in integrating the management of water and electricity. They do so locally, via a diversity of institutional and operational adaptations. This role, however, requires sufficient levels of autonomy, clear rules that shape the interactions between WUAs and other water and electricity actors, and a relatively competitive environment.

Bringing polycentric systems into focus for environmental governance

“…The authors start by establishing conceptual refinements to the underlying constructs or features of polycentricity. For example, Villamayor‐Tomas () proposes an operationalization for the water and energy sectors of Aligica and Tarko's () framework, via a series of questions that distinguish provision from production tasks. Heikkila and Weible's () study demonstrates how the idea of “multiple centers of authority” is more nuanced than what the literature presents.…”

“…Other methodological advancements offered in the papers that help unpack the longitudinal elements of polycentric systems include process tracing (Tormoss‐Aponte & García‐López, ), reduced form analysis (Thiel & Moser, ) and historical assessment (Carlisle and Gruby, ). Several papers also combine diverse data sources (e.g., interviews, document analyses, surveys) to build more rigorous and nuanced case studies (Villamayor‐Tomas, ; Baldwin et al, ; Schröder, ).…”

“…While we include articles that fit within these more classic settings (e.g., Baldwin et al, ; Carlisle & Gruby, ), the special issue includes cases that are not classic CPR settings, such as polycentric social movements in climate justice (Tormos‐Aponte & García‐López, ); oil and gas regulations (Heikkila & Weible, ); and biofuels (Thiel & Moser, ). Additionally, the special issue offers advancements in understanding the more classic CPR settings, by paying attention to multidimensional problems such as the maintenance of the ecological health of urban water systems (Schröder, ) or the management of water and energy by user associations/organizations (Villamayor‐Tomas, ). In Schröder's () article, she argues that the maintenance of ecological health in water systems in Berlin and Hamburg involves the governance of least four features of the resource system, including chemical water quality, water quantity, connectivity for fishers and morphology.…”

“…Study of the adjustment process that followed the reform allows the authors to disentangle the importance of bottom‐up collective action relative to top‐down polycentric design processes. Villamayor‐Tomas () carries an over‐time analysis to assess the responses of water user associations to droughts and the rise in electricity prices. Differences across the water and electricity governance systems are then used to explain the number and effectiveness of said responses.…”

Assessing and explaining policy coherence: A comparative study of water governance and large carnivore governance in Sweden

“…Driessen et al, 2012;Hysing, 2009;Lange, Driessen, Sauer, Bornemann, & Burger 2013;Villamayor-Thomas, 2018). The literature on multilevel and participatory governance encompasses several studies aimed at disentangling different types of systems and their impact on governance outcome (c.f.…”