Aziza Akhmouch

In the face of megatrends such as globalisation, climate and demographic change, digitalisation and urbanisation, many cities and regions are grappling with critical challenges to preserve social inclusion, foster economic growth and transition to the low carbon economy. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set the global agenda for the coming decade to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. A Territorial Approach to the Sustainable Development Goals argues that… Voir plus

In the face of megatrends such as globalisation, climate and demographic change, digitalisation and urbanisation, many cities and regions are grappling with critical challenges to preserve social inclusion, foster economic growth and transition to the low carbon economy. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set the global agenda for the coming decade to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. A Territorial Approach to the Sustainable Development Goals argues that cities and regions play a critical role in this paradigm shift and need to embrace the full potential of the SDGs as a policy tool to improve people’s lives. The report estimates that at least 105 of the 169 SDG targets will not be reached without proper engagement of sub-national governments. It analyses how cities and regions are increasingly using the SDGs to design and implement their strategies, policies and plans; promote synergies across sectoral domains; and engage stakeholders in policy making. The report proposes an OECD localised indicator framework that measures the distance towards the SDGs for more than 600 regions and 600 cities in OECD and partner countries. The report concludes with a Checklist for Public Action to help policy makers implement a territorial approach to the SDGs.

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Cities are reinventing themselves to adapt and respond to their evolving contexts. One instrument that local government is leveraging is innovation. To understand how cities approach public sector innovation, the OECD and Bloomberg Philanthropies carried out a survey on innovation capacity across 89 cities in OECD countries and non-OECD economies. The focus of the survey was to unpack the capacity to innovate in the local public sector and explore the resources – human, financial, and… Voir plus

Cities are reinventing themselves to adapt and respond to their evolving contexts. One instrument that local government is leveraging is innovation. To understand how cities approach public sector innovation, the OECD and Bloomberg Philanthropies carried out a survey on innovation capacity across 89 cities in OECD countries and non-OECD economies. The focus of the survey was to unpack the capacity to innovate in the local public sector and explore the resources – human, financial, and institutional – and how they can work to boost innovation in a city.

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Ensuring long-term water security is essential in the pathway towards sustainable development in Argentina. Floods cause 60% of all critical events in the country and are responsible for 95% of economic losses. Severe droughts, in a country where the agricultural sector accounts for 6.4% of GDP as compared to a global average of 3.6%, have a strong impact in the economy. The country is also home to some of the most polluted basins worldwide. Furthermore, climate change will likely shift further… Voir plus

Ensuring long-term water security is essential in the pathway towards sustainable development in Argentina. Floods cause 60% of all critical events in the country and are responsible for 95% of economic losses. Severe droughts, in a country where the agricultural sector accounts for 6.4% of GDP as compared to a global average of 3.6%, have a strong impact in the economy. The country is also home to some of the most polluted basins worldwide. Furthermore, climate change will likely shift further water availability, uses and demand. The report is the result of a policy dialogue with more than 200 stakeholders at different levels in Argentina. It assesses water governance in Argentina, identifies several key challenges to effective, efficient and inclusive water policies, and provides a set of policy recommendations to enhance water governance as a means to address relevant societal challenges, both within the scope of water management and beyond. In particular, ways forward for Argentina include strengthening the co-ordination between national and provincial water policies, setting up a multilevel water planning and investment framework, improving basin management practices, and enhancing economic regulation for water services.
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This report uses the OECD Principles on Water Governance as a tool for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue and practical assessment of the performance of flood governance systems. It applies the Principles to flood-prone contexts to help strengthen governance frameworks for managing the risks of “too much” water. By 2050, 1.6 billion people will be at risk of flooding, affecting nearly 20% of the world’s population at an increasing rate and many times over with dire social, economic and… Voir plus

This report uses the OECD Principles on Water Governance as a tool for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue and practical assessment of the performance of flood governance systems. It applies the Principles to flood-prone contexts to help strengthen governance frameworks for managing the risks of “too much” water. By 2050, 1.6 billion people will be at risk of flooding, affecting nearly 20% of the world’s population at an increasing rate and many times over with dire social, economic and environmental consequences. In this report, a checklist is proposed as a self-assessment tool for stakeholders in flood management, based on lessons learned from 27 case studies that feature practical experiences and highlight common features and key challenges in flood governance.
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Digitalisation is one of several megatrends, including globalisation, demographic change and climate
change that are reshaping policies from the ground up. For two decades, digital innovation has been at
the heart of discourse around “smart cities” to build more efficient and liveable urban environments. The paper argues that harnessing the benefits of digitalisation in cities is critical to deliver growth and wellbeing across our economies and societies. It seeks to take stock of a… Voir plus

Digitalisation is one of several megatrends, including globalisation, demographic change and climate
change that are reshaping policies from the ground up. For two decades, digital innovation has been at
the heart of discourse around “smart cities” to build more efficient and liveable urban environments. The paper argues that harnessing the benefits of digitalisation in cities is critical to deliver growth and wellbeing across our economies and societies. It seeks to take stock of a decade of experimentation, uptake and proliferation of smart cities’ initiatives across the globe, in order to help understand what has worked, what has not worked, and what can be improved to leverage fully their potential to drive inclusive and sustainable growth. Voir moins

The OECD Principles on Urban Policy consolidate the lessons from the past 20+ years of work on cities to guide policymakers in building smart, sustainable and inclusive cities. The OECD Principles on Urban Policy were co-developed with a diverse range of stakeholders, including international organisations, development banks, networks of cities and local governments, research institutes and academia, and the private sector.

This report examines the current system of water abstraction and pollution charges in operation in Brazil. It assesses the current system’s implementation challenges and provides possible solutions. The report explores how water charges can be both an effective means for dealing with water security issues, and a tool for enhancing economic growth and social welfare. Specific analysis is put forward for three case studies in the State of Rio de Janiero, the Paraiba do Sul River Basin and the… Voir plus

This report examines the current system of water abstraction and pollution charges in operation in Brazil. It assesses the current system’s implementation challenges and provides possible solutions. The report explores how water charges can be both an effective means for dealing with water security issues, and a tool for enhancing economic growth and social welfare. Specific analysis is put forward for three case studies in the State of Rio de Janiero, the Paraiba do Sul River Basin and the Piancó-Piranhas-Açu River Basin. The report highlights that water charges need to operate in conjunction with an effective water regulatory regime and concludes with an Action Plan based on practical steps and recommendations for its implementation in the short, medium and long-term.
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Stakeholder engagement has long been considered an integral part of sound governance processes. However, a closer look at the literature reveals that, beyond this general assertion, there is a lack of evidence-based assessment on how engagement processes contribute to water governance objectives.

This article published in the latest Special Issue of Water addresses this research gap by presenting key findings and policy guidance from a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation… Voir plus

Stakeholder engagement has long been considered an integral part of sound governance processes. However, a closer look at the literature reveals that, beyond this general assertion, there is a lack of evidence-based assessment on how engagement processes contribute to water governance objectives.

This article published in the latest Special Issue of Water addresses this research gap by presenting key findings and policy guidance from a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on “Stakeholder Engagement for Inclusive Water Governance”. This study employed comprehensive methods, including a survey administered to 215 stakeholder groups worldwide and separately, 69 case studies of specific stakeholder engagement initiatives on water management.

This article also shares the experiences and lessons that have emerged from engaging stakeholders in the OECD Water Governance Initiative—an international multi-stakeholder policy forum created in 2013 to share policy and practical experiences on water governance at different levels. We hope this research will be used to stimulate and enrich discussions about the necessary conditions for results-oriented stakeholder engagement, and to guide decision makers accordingly. Voir moins

Urban, demographic and climate trends are increasingly exposing cities to risks of having too little, too much and too polluted water. Facing these challenges requires robust public policies and sound governance frameworks to co-ordinate across multiple scales, authorities, and policy domains. Building on a survey of 48 cities in OECD countries and emerging economies, the report analyses key factors affecting urban water governance, discusses trends in allocating roles and responsibilities… Voir plus

Urban, demographic and climate trends are increasingly exposing cities to risks of having too little, too much and too polluted water. Facing these challenges requires robust public policies and sound governance frameworks to co-ordinate across multiple scales, authorities, and policy domains. Building on a survey of 48 cities in OECD countries and emerging economies, the report analyses key factors affecting urban water governance, discusses trends in allocating roles and responsibilities across levels of government, and assesses multi-level governance gaps in urban water management. It provides a framework for mitigating territorial and institutional fragmentation and raising the profile of water in the broader sustainable development agenda, focusing in particular on the contribution of metropolitan governance, rural-urban partnerships and stakeholder engagement. Voir moins

Water is abundant in Brazil, but unevenly distributed across regions and users. Remarkable progress to reform the sector has been achieved since the 1997 National Water Law, but economic, climate and urbanisation trends generate threats that may jeopardize national growth and development. The consequences are particularly acute in regions where tensions across water users already exist or are likely to grow. The report is the result of a policy dialogue with more than 100 stakeholders at… Voir plus

Water is abundant in Brazil, but unevenly distributed across regions and users. Remarkable progress to reform the sector has been achieved since the 1997 National Water Law, but economic, climate and urbanisation trends generate threats that may jeopardize national growth and development. The consequences are particularly acute in regions where tensions across water users already exist or are likely to grow. The report is the result of a policy dialogue with more than 100 stakeholders at different levels in Brazil. It assesses the performance of Brazil’s water governance and suggests policy recommendations for strengthening the co-ordination between federal and state water policies and for setting up more robust water allocation regimes that can better cope with future risks. The report concludes with an action plan, which suggests concrete milestones and champion institutions to implement those recommendations. Voir moins

This inventory compiles identified measurement attempts and indicators related to water governance, with a view to take stock of existing frameworks prior to developing a set of OECD Indicators on Water Governance over 2016-2018.

The OECD Water Governance Principles provide the 12 must-do for governments to design and implement effective, efficient, and inclusive water policies in a shared responsibility across levels of government and with stakeholders. To date, they have been endorsed by all OECD countries, 7 non-OECD countries, and 170+ stakeholder groups or governments:

This report focuses on the urban water management challenges facing cities across OECD countries, and explores both national and local policy responses with respect to water-risk exposure, the state of urban infrastructures and dynamics, and institutional and governance architectures. The analyses focus on four mutually dependent dimensions – finance, innovation, urban-rural co-operation and governance – and proposes a solutions-oriented typology based on urban characteristics. The report… Voir plus

This report focuses on the urban water management challenges facing cities across OECD countries, and explores both national and local policy responses with respect to water-risk exposure, the state of urban infrastructures and dynamics, and institutional and governance architectures. The analyses focus on four mutually dependent dimensions – finance, innovation, urban-rural co-operation and governance – and proposes a solutions-oriented typology based on urban characteristics. The report underlines that sustainable urban water management will depend on collaboration across different tiers of government working together with local initiatives and stakeholders. Voir moins

This report assesses the current trends, drivers, obstacles, mechanisms, impacts, costs and benefits of stakeholder engagement in the water sector. It builds on empirical data collected through an extensive survey across 215 stakeholders, within and outside the water sector, and 69 case studies collected worldwide. It highlights the increasing importance of stakeholder engagement in the water sector as a principle of good governance and the need for better understanding of the pressing and… Voir plus

This report assesses the current trends, drivers, obstacles, mechanisms, impacts, costs and benefits of stakeholder engagement in the water sector. It builds on empirical data collected through an extensive survey across 215 stakeholders, within and outside the water sector, and 69 case studies collected worldwide. It highlights the increasing importance of stakeholder engagement in the water sector as a principle of good governance and the need for better understanding of the pressing and emerging issues related to stakeholder engagement. These include: the shift of power across stakeholders; the arrival of new entrants that ought to be considered; the external and internal drivers that have triggered engagement processes; innovative tools that have emerged to manage the interface between multiple players, and types of costs and benefits incurred by engagement at policy and project levels. This report provides pragmatic policy guidance to decision makers and practitioners in the form of key principles and a Checklist for Public Action with indicators, international references and self-assessment questions, which together can help policy makers to set up the appropriate framework conditions needed to yield the short and long-term benefits of stakeholder engagement. Voir moins

At a time when the government of Jordan is considering involving the private sector in a number of large water projects, the report argues that framework conditions are needed to fully reap the benefits. Conditions for success relate to the regulatory framework, administrative capacity, financial sustainability, strategic planning of projects and stakeholder engagement. The report diagnoses major governance gaps and suggests three areas of recommendations and an action plan to help Jordan… Voir plus

At a time when the government of Jordan is considering involving the private sector in a number of large water projects, the report argues that framework conditions are needed to fully reap the benefits. Conditions for success relate to the regulatory framework, administrative capacity, financial sustainability, strategic planning of projects and stakeholder engagement. The report diagnoses major governance gaps and suggests three areas of recommendations and an action plan to help Jordan deliver on its ambitious pipeline of projects:
• Managing PPPs in a fiscally constrained environment through appropriate budget processes;
• Reducing the regulatory risks through supporting the development of a high-quality framework; and
• Strengthening stakeholder engagement to improve accountability and buy-in.
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Despite outstanding performance in the past, the Tunisian water sector is facing difficult times and increasing financial difficulties. The report argues that the current situation of post-revolutionary reconstruction offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the governance framework and the potential role of private sector participation (PSP) in the development of the water sector. It identifies three key areas of recommendations and an action plan for future investments to pay… Voir plus

Despite outstanding performance in the past, the Tunisian water sector is facing difficult times and increasing financial difficulties. The report argues that the current situation of post-revolutionary reconstruction offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the governance framework and the potential role of private sector participation (PSP) in the development of the water sector. It identifies three key areas of recommendations and an action plan for future investments to pay offs:
• Understanding the different modalities of PSP and identifying the most appropriate form of private sector participation according to the Tunisian background,
• Improving financial sustainability of PSP in the water sector, and
• Improving transparency mechanisms and stakeholders’ engagement to increase citizen buy-in.
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This report assesses the main governance and financing challenges to private sector participation (PSP) in the water supply and sanitation sector of Jordan, and provides ways forward to address them, based on international experience and OECD compendium of principles and good practices. Using the diagnostic analysis of the governance challenges to PSP in the Jordan water sector (Chapter 1), the report identifies ways forward to overcome bottlenecks focusing on three key pillars (Chapter 2): i)… Voir plus

This report assesses the main governance and financing challenges to private sector participation (PSP) in the water supply and sanitation sector of Jordan, and provides ways forward to address them, based on international experience and OECD compendium of principles and good practices. Using the diagnostic analysis of the governance challenges to PSP in the Jordan water sector (Chapter 1), the report identifies ways forward to overcome bottlenecks focusing on three key pillars (Chapter 2): i) managing public-private partnership in a fiscally constrained environment through appropriate budget processes; ii) reducing the regulatory risks through supporting the development of a high-quality framework; and iii)managing and enhancing stakeholder engagement to improve accountability and buy-in. The report also includes an action plan with concrete measures to implement the recommendations proposed in the report.The report has been developed as part of a water policy dialogue conducted by the OECD jointly with the Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean (GWP-Med) in the context of the project labelled by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) “Governance and Financing for the Mediterranean Water Sector”, with the support of the FEMIP Trust Fund of the European Investment Bank. Voir moins

The report assesses the extent to which Dutch water governance is fit for future challenges and suggests ways to adjust or reform policies and institutions. It is based on a one-year policy dialogue with a wide range of Dutch stakeholders, supported by robust analytical work and drawing on international best practice.
Key findings highlight the longstanding excellent track record of Dutch water governance in several areas: the system has managed to “keep Dutch feet dry” and to develop a… Voir plus

The report assesses the extent to which Dutch water governance is fit for future challenges and suggests ways to adjust or reform policies and institutions. It is based on a one-year policy dialogue with a wide range of Dutch stakeholders, supported by robust analytical work and drawing on international best practice.
Key findings highlight the longstanding excellent track record of Dutch water governance in several areas: the system has managed to “keep Dutch feet dry” and to develop a strong economy and robust water industry. The findings also signal opportunities to put the system on a more sustainable basis. This is especially the case in the context of an “awareness gap”, whereby Dutch citizens take previous achievements for granted, and of European policies that put an increased emphasis on water quality, cost recovery and stakeholder engagement.
An agenda for water policy reform in the Netherlands should explore cost-efficient, adaptive and place-based responses, which minimise path dependency and improve economic incentives to manage “too much”, “too little” or “too polluted” water. It requires a renewed focus on governance, with an emphasis on active stakeholder involvement, as well as more transparent information and performance monitoring. It also requires improved coherence between water, land use and spatial planning, and a greater focus on long-term financial sustainability.
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The Inventory was prepared to support the work of the OECD Initiative on Water Governance. It gathers more than 100 governance tools, water and non-water specific, and is structured around 4 thematic building blocks:
Stakeholder Engagement;
Performance & Governance of Water Supply and Sanitation
Basin Governance;
Integrity & Transparency
The Inventory will be up-dated regularly.

In Mexico, the population is forecast to reach almost 150 million by 2050. Increasing levels of inequality along with the issues caused by climate change are expected to hit hard and exacerbate today's challenges. An additional 36 to 40 million Mexicans will require a water supply and sanitation systems by 2030. For all these reasons, water policy is becoming a national security issue.
This report provides evidence-based assessment and policy recommendations to support Mexico’s water reform.… Voir plus

In Mexico, the population is forecast to reach almost 150 million by 2050. Increasing levels of inequality along with the issues caused by climate change are expected to hit hard and exacerbate today's challenges. An additional 36 to 40 million Mexicans will require a water supply and sanitation systems by 2030. For all these reasons, water policy is becoming a national security issue.
This report provides evidence-based assessment and policy recommendations to support Mexico’s water reform. It analyses implementation bottlenecks and identifies good practices in four key areas considered as essential drivers for change in the water sector of Mexico: multi-level and river basin governance; economic efficiency and financial sustainability; and regulatory functions for water supply and sanitation.
The report highlights many positive achievements. Mexico does have a well-developed policy framework for water resource management with a number of institutions and policy instruments in place. But much remains to be done for effective, sustainable and integrated water policy. The report emphasises that policy implementation is uneven, river basin councils are not fully operational twenty years after their creation, the regulatory framework for drinking water and sanitation is scattered across multiple actors, and harmful subsidies in other sectors (energy, agriculture) clearly work against water policy objectives.
Efforts are particularly needed to increase water productivity and the cost-efficiency of water policies, address multi-level and river basin governance challenges (in particular to bridge inconsistencies between federal and basin priorities), sequence and prioritise reform needs, and support greater policy coherence with agriculture and energy.
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This report addresses multilevel governance challenges in water policy in 13 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and identifies good practices for co-ordinating water across ministries, between levels of government, and across local and regional actors.

The multi-level approach used in the analysis aims to identify good practices for managing interdependencies between the many stakeholders involved in water management. It takes a close look at the processes through which public actors articulate their concerns, decisions are taken and policy makers are held accountable. Data were collected through an extensive survey on water governance in 2010 to which 17 OECD countries contributed.


The report provides a “reading template”… Voir plus

The multi-level approach used in the analysis aims to identify good practices for managing interdependencies between the many stakeholders involved in water management. It takes a close look at the processes through which public actors articulate their concerns, decisions are taken and policy makers are held accountable. Data were collected through an extensive survey on water governance in 2010 to which 17 OECD countries contributed.


The report provides a “reading template” to:

1) map the allocation of responsibilities in water policy design, regulation and implementation;
2) identify common multi-level governance bottlenecks for integrated water policy;
3) suggest the main policy responses for managing mutual dependencies across levels of government in water policy design and implementation;
4) promote decision-making that integrates actors at all levels; and
5) encourage the adoption of relevant capacity-building, monitoring and evaluation tools Voir moins