Identification and prioritization of public policy challenges in the water governance sector of Mazandaran province

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics, Management and Administrative Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics, Management and Administrative Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

Abstract

Objective: What challenges does public policymaking face in the field of water governance today, how effective are they for water governance, and how can those challenges be overcome, are significant issues for governments. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to identify and prioritize the challenges of public policymaking in the water governance sector of Mazandaran province.
Methods: The method of conducting this research is based on the analysis of mutual/structural effects. Also, the statistical population of this research is 18 experts of water governance policy issues consisting of managers and senior experts of regional water administration and crisis management of Mazandaran province. The data of this research has been collected through semi-structured interviews and a qualitative questionnaire scoring from 0 to 3 according to the Micmac matrix. Also, the data analysis is based on the output of Mikmak software.
Results: The research findings indicate that the challenges of lack of government oversight over executive agencies, water distribution management, unprincipled dam construction, destruction and degradation of aquatic ecosystems, and lack of coherence of the involved agencies were ranked 1 to 5 in terms of influence, respectively, and wastewater management and reduction of renewable water were ranked last.
Conclusions: Identifying challenges and addressing their solutions in order of priority can help Mazandaran water policymakers to take effective measures in partnership and cooperation with other governmental and non-governmental organizations and stakeholders to address water governance challenges at the county, provincial, and inter-basin levels.

Keywords

References

  1. منابع فارسی:

    ۱. ابراهیمی, سید عباس . (۱۴۰۴). ارزیابی وضعیت حکمرانی آب در استان سمنان: در جستجوی سیاست‌گذاری مؤثر در سطح محلی. مطالعات راهبردی سیاست­گذاری عمومی, 15(54), 118-151. doi: 10.22034/sspp.2025.2036428.3687

    ۲. نوری نجفی, فرهاد , ویسی, هادی , خوشبخت, کورس و میرزایی تالار پشتی, رضا . (1397). ارزیابی تأثیر احداث سدها بر جامعه محلی و محیط پیرامون در ایران: مرور نظام‌‏مند. فصلنامه آب و توسعه پایدار, 5(2), 141-152. doi: 10.22067/jwsd.v5i2.67394.

    ۳. طاهری, سیده محدثه و مساعدی, ابوالفضل . (۱۴۰۲). مروری بر راهبردهای مدیریت ریسک سیل و چالش‌های قانونی و عملی. فصلنامه آب و توسعه پایدار, 10(3), 35-50.doi: 10.22067/jwsd.v10i3.2309-127.

    ۴. امیری, سیامک . (۱۴۰۳). بررسی شکل گیری و عوامل تشدید مناقشات آبی داخلی. (20076). ماهنامه گزارش های کارشناسی مرکز پژوهش های مجلس شورای اسلامی, 32(7), 20076 .

    doi: 10.22034/report.mrc.2024.1403.32.7.20076.

    ۵. اسدبک, مهدی , رضایی منش, بهروز و شریف زاده, فتاح . (1402). واکاوی ابعاد مشارکت اجتماعی شهروندان در تحقق حکمرانی خوب. حکمرانی و توسعه, 3(2), 63-88.doi: 10.22111/jipaa.2023.406258.1127.

    ۶. یوسفیان, الهه , فقیهی, ابوالحسن و دانشفرد, کرم الله . (1400). طراحی الگوی خط‌مشی منسجم حکمرانی آب در ایران. فصلنامه انجمن علوم مدیریت ایران, 16(64), 1-32.

    ۷. مرزبان، حسین، صدرایی جواهری، احمد، زیبایی، منصور، ناظم السادات، سیدمحمدجعفر، و کریمی، لیلا. (۱۳۹۸). بررسی وضعیت منابع و مصارف آب در ایران و راهکارهای بهبود وضعیت. آب و فاضلاب، 30(4 (مسلسل 122) )، 16-32. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/103705/fa

     ۸. متقی, افشین و قربانی سپهر, پریسا . (۱۴۰۰). هیدرودیپلماسی در عمل: تحلیل چالش رودخانه های مرزی ایران و نتایج امنیتی-انتظامی آن. جغرافیا (نشریۀ انجمن جغرافیایی ایران), 19(71), 63-87.

    ۹. اسحاقی گرجی, مجید , زارعی, عظیم اله , حمزوی, حسین , اسدبک, مهدی و محمدی شیر کلایی, حسینعلی . (۱۴۰۳). اولویت‌بندی مسائل سیاست زیست‌محیطی جمهوری اسلامی ایران. حکمرانی و توسعه, 4(1), 74-92. doi: 10.22111/jipaa.2024.447250.1166.

    ‌۱۰. رسائی ،اردشیر. بیاتانی،فاطمه .(1399). مبانی و اهمیت حکمرانی آب . سیاست پژوهی ، دوره 7 ، شماره 19.

    ۱۱. رهبرقاضی، م. و طالیحور، ر. (۱۴۰۳). چالش‌های حکمرانی آب در ایران: تحلیل علل و پیامدها از منظر نظریه زمینه‌ای. فصلنامه سیاست، 54(3)، 438-415. doi: 10.22059/jpq.2024.380935.1008202

    ۱۲.  فغانی س. ز.، یزدانی ج.، حسن نتاج ع.، نیکپور ع. الگوی جغرافیایی سالمندی جمعیت در استان مازندران طی سال‌های ۱۳۶۵-۱۳۹۰ با استفاده از تحلیل خوشه‌ای سلسله مراتبی. مجله علوم پزشکی دانشگاه مازندران، ۱۳۹۵؛ ۲۵ (۱۳۲): ۲۹۱-۲۹۹.

    ۱۳.  اسلامی, روح الله و رحیمی, احمد . (۱۳۹۸). سیاست‌گذاری و بحران آب در ایران. سیاست‌های راهبردی و کلان, 7(27), 410-435. doi: 10.32598/JMSP.7.3.5.

     References:

    1. Ahopelto, L., Suvi Sojamo, Antti Belinskij, Niko Soininen, & Keskinen, M. (2023). Water governance for water security: analysing institutional strengths and challenges in Finland. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2023.2266733
    2. Araral, E., & Wang, Y. (2013). Water Governance 2.0: A Review and Second Generation Research Agenda. Water Resources Management, 27(11), 3945–3957. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-013-0389-x
    3. Asadbak, M. and Rastgar, A. . A. (2025). "Philosophical theories of good governance and efficiency in public administration: A study of the views of selected philosophers in Islamic and Western philosophy on freedom, justice, equality, and fairness”. Journal of Philosophical Investigations, (), -. doi: 10.22034/jpiut.2025.67242.4115.
    4. Barati, A. A., Dehghani Pour, M., & Adeli Sardooei, M. (2023). Water crisis in Iran: A system dynamics approach on water, energy, food, land and climate (WEFLC) nexus. Science of the Total Environment, 882, 163549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163549
    5. Bashir I, Lone FA, Bhat RA, Mir SA, Dar ZA, Dar SA. Concerns and Threats of Contamination on Aquatic Ecosystems. Bioremediation and Biotechnology. 2020 Jan 27:1–26. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-35691-0_1. PMCID: PMC7121614.
    6. Butcher, T. (1998). The Treasury in Public Policy-Making. Public Policy and Administration,13(1), 115–116. https://doi.org/10.1177/095207679801300109.
    7. Cairney, P. (2021). The politics of policy design. EURO Journal on Decision Processes, 9, 100002.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejdp.2021.100002.
    8. Chien, N. B., & Thanh, N. N. (2022). The Impact of Good Governance on the People’s Satisfaction with Public Administrative Services in Vietnam. Administrative Sciences, 12(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci12010035
    9. Colebatch, H. K. (2014). Making sense of governance. Policy and Society, 33(4), 307–316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polsoc.2014.10.001.
    10. Cookey, P. E., Darnsawasdi, R., & Ratanachai, C. (2016). Performance evaluation of lake basin water governance using composite index. Ecological Indicators, 61, 466–482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.09.048
    11. Di Vaio, A., Trujillo, L., D’Amore, G., & Palladino, R. (2021). Water governance models for meeting sustainable development Goals:A structured literature review. Utilities Policy, 72, 101255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jup.2021.101255
    12. Emran, Md. G. I., Barma, R., Khan, A. H., & Roy, M. (2024). Reasons behind the Water Crisis and Its Potential Health Outcomes. European Journal of Development Studies, 4(6), 16–24. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejdevelop.2024.4.6.389.
    13. Head, B. W. (2023). Wicked problems in public policy. In Encyclopedia of Public Policy (pp. 1–8).Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90434-0_43-1.
    14. Howlett, M., & Cashore, B. (2014). Conceptualizing public policy. In Comparative PolicyStudies (pp. 17–33). Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137314154_2.
    15. Janssen, M., & van der Voort, H. (2016). Adaptive governance: Towards a stable, accountable and responsive government. Government Information Quarterly, 33(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2016.02.003.
    16. Jiménez, A., Saikia, P., Giné, R., Avello, P., Leten, J., Liss Lymer, B., Schneider, K., & Ward, R. (2020). Unpacking Water Governance: A Framework for Practitioners. Water, 12(3), 827. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12030827.
    17. Julio, N., Figueroa, R., & Ponce Oliva, R. D. (2021). Water Resources and Governance Approaches: Insights for Achieving Water Security. Water, 13(21), 3063. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13213063
    18. Keping, Y. (2017). Governance and Good Governance: a New Framework for Political Analysis. Fudan Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences, 11(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40647-017-0197-4
    19. Leong, C., & Howlett, M. (2022). Soft or as a response to inherent vices: Problem structuringto offset policy volatility. EURO Journal on Decision Processes, 10, 100019.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejdp.2022.100019.
    20. Lieberherr, E., & Ingold, K. (2019). Actors in Water Governance: Barriers and Bridges for Coordination. Water, 11(2), 326. https://doi.org/10.3390/w1102032
    21. Mirzaei, A., Knierim, A., Fealy Nahavand, S., & Mahmoudi, H. (2017). Gap analysis of water governance in Northern Iran: A closer look into the water reservoirs. Environmental Science & Policy, 77, 98–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2017.08.004
    22. Moss, T., & Newig, J. (2010). Multilevel Water Governance and Problems of Scale: Setting the Stage for a Broader Debate. Environmental Management, 46(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-010-9531-1
    23. Nouri, M., Homaee, M., Pereira, L. S., & Bybordi, M. (2023). Water management dilemma in the agricultural sector of Iran: A review focusing on water governance. Agricultural Water Management, 288, 108480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108480.
    24. Núria Roigé, Francesc Pardo-Bosch, & Pujadas, P. (2024). Achieving Sustainable Goals Using an Effective Budget-Allocation Multicriteria Mives Model: Case Study of a Spanish Water Utility Company. Water Resources Management. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-024-03905-w.
    25. Onu, M. A., Ayeleru, O. O., Oboirien, B., & Olubambi, P. A. (2023). Challenges of wastewater generation and management in sub-Saharan Africa: A review. Environmental Challenges, 11, 100686. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2023.100686.
    26. Puspitasari, Kiloes, A. M., & Syah, J. A. (2021). Factors affecting sustainability of increasing mango export: an application of MICMAC method. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 892(1), 012101. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/892/1/012101
    27. Rosso, R. (2025). On Seven Principles of Water Governance. Water, 17(6), 896–896. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17060896.
    28. Salehi, M. (2022). Global Water Shortage and Potable Water safety; Today’s Concern and Tomorrow’s Crisis. Environment International, 158(0160-4120), 106936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106936.
    29. Shamsuzzoha, A., & Piya, S. (2020). Identification and analysis of the driving factors for product modularity by interpretive structural modelling. Brazilian Journal of Operations & Production Management, 17(4). https://doi.org/10.14488/bjopm.2020.041.
    30. Tortajada, C. (2010). Water Governance: Some Critical Issues. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 26(2), 297–307. https://doi.org/10.1080/07900621003683298.
    31. Vannevel, R., & Goethals, P. L. M. (2021). Structural and Contentual Complexity in Water Governance. Sustainability, 13(17), 9751. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179751.
    32. Zwarteveen, M., Kemerink-Seyoum, J. S., Kooy, M., Evers, J., Guerrero, T. A., Batubara, B., Biza, A., Boakye-Ansah, A., Faber, S., Cabrera Flamini, A., Cuadrado-Quesada, G., Fantini, E., Gupta, J., Hasan, S., ter Horst, R., Jamali, H., Jaspers, F., Obani, P., Schwartz, K., & Shubber, Z. (2017). Engaging with the politics of water governance. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water, 4(6), e1245. https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1245.‌
Governance and Development
Volume 5, Issue 3
September 2025
Pages 121-143

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics