Help:Key Questions and Transferrable Knowledge

Introduction

Each case study has a section for including “key questions” – questions for which you can develop a case-specific answer (“focused”), but the questions are also generally applicable to multiple-cases (“broad”). You could imagine that with enough case-specific insight, multiple answers to each question could be synthesized to provide evidence that would be useful in addressing other ongoing or emergent water conflicts or complex management issues. The hope is that case-specific insight to these questions will provide first glimpses into emergent patterns for further research by scholars, or perhaps to examples of implementation practices that could be useful to water professionals looking to find out more about how others have addressed problems similar to the challenges they face.

The list of questions were originally populated from input from Shafiqul Islam and Larry Susskind, as well as adaptation of questions addressed by students from Tufts University in Water Diplomacy Seminar assignments. The list may be appended or revised.

Adding Key Questions to Cases

Users may select from the list of questions when adding or editing cases. Please answer the question as it pertains to your case and provide a suggestion for how this might have broader implications. Answers should be brief and may refer to material in the case.

How AquaPedia Readers can Use Key Questions

Each Key Question is linked to the case within which they appear and also to all other answers to that question. Users can view Key Questions within an individual case, and also on a special page that lists all of the answers to a particular key question. This provides a quick way to find cases that deal with a specific issue that may be transferrable to other cases.

Suggesting New Questions or Question Revision

Contributing users who would like to see new questions should request them on the discussion page for this article. In your request, please list the type/topic for the question (either a current/existing topic/type or to suggest a new one), the question you would like, and a short explanation for why it should be added.

List of Current Key Questions

Below is a list of Key Questions that are currently available. Please report any inaccuracies to an administrator. They are presented in no particular order and are generally organized by type/topic of question.

Urban Water Systems and Water Treatment

1. What role(s) can hydropower play in a nation's energy strategy?
2. What calculations considerations and potential outcomes should be investigated by countries looking to harness additional hydropower?
3. Where does the benefit “flow” from a hydropower project and how does that affect implementation and sustainability of the project?
4. How do issues of equity and development impact the identification of stakeholders in cases involving hydropower or other revenue generating water infrastructure?

Urban Water Systems and Water Treatment

1. What approaches are most beneficial for rapidly growing cities in the developing #world to link water management to sustainable urban growth strategy?
2. How can increasing urban water demand be balanced between the needs of the urban population and industry?
3. How can costs for water quality projects be distributed between polluters and beneficiaries?

Transboundary Water Issues

1. What kinds of water treaties or agreements between countries can provide sufficient structure and stability to ensure enforceability while simultaneously taking account of the need to be flexible and adaptable given the uncertainties created by climate change?
2. What mechanisms beyond simple allocation can be incorporated into transboundary water agreements to add value and facilitate resolution?

Desalination

1. What roles can desalination play in a country's national water policy and what energy, ecological and water quality considerations ought to go into making such a decision?
2. What types of benefit sharing models can be used to make desalination more economically feasible and beneficial in water-scarce regions?

Influence, Leadership, and Power

1. To what extent can international actors and movements from civil society influence water management?
2. How and when is this beneficial/detrimental and how can these effects be supported/mitigated?
3. How can government be dis/incentivized to offer an inclusive planning process?
4. What effective mechanisms can downstream states/countries use to protect their water related interests/rights?
5. How does asymmetry of power influence water negotiations and how can the negative effects be mitigated?

Balancing Industries and Sectors

1. How can consultation and cooperation among stakeholders and development partners be better facilitated/managed/fostered?