Factsheet #26

Inter-agency programmes

Instrument Type

formal

Governance Level

national

Governance Mode

hierarchical

Water management topics addressed

Drought & water scarcity

Water abstraction for irrigation and other economic activities

Water quality issues due to nutrient pollution

Water quality issues: Other reasons

Implementation requirements

Financial capacity

medium

Human capacity

high

Political buy-in

high

Timeframe for implementation

medium

#26: Inter-agency programmes

Description

Interagency programs are designed to promote coordinated strategic water planning at central government level.

Function

Some of the OECD countries have had their national water plans or programs drawn up jointly by several ministries and government agencies. Interagency programs have often been used to support this collective strategic planning task in water policy-making.

Example: Transnational management of international river basin of Sheld and Meuse

The dispositions provided through the Water Framework Directive (WFD) led to the creation of several commissions responsible to ensure transnational coordination in the management of the international river basin of Sheld and Meuse in Flanders (Belgium). Furthermore, following the directive, a Committee on Integrated Water Policy was established to coordinate water policies in Flanders. More specifically, the committee guarantees harmonization of integrated water policies in the sub-basins and plan and present integrated water policy, implementing decisions of the Flemish government when applicable.

Source

OECD (2011). Water governance in OECD countries – A multilevel approach. OECD Studies on water (p. 82ff) https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/environment/water-governance-in-oecd-countries_9789264119284-en Retrieved on 22 September 2020.