A global perspective on water management predominates in high-level policy discussions. This has the advantage that over-arching issues can be highlighted and international resources mobilized. But water issues arise from local conditions and can only be resolved by people and institutions with local authority and responsibility. High-level policies can only have meaningful impact if they are informed by and responsive to local and regional contexts. In keeping with the principle of subsidiarity, high-level policy-making should support local and regional interests, efforts, and policies.
By J.G. Hering, D.L. Sedlak, C. Tortajada, A.K. Biswas, C. Niwagaba and T. Breu, 2015. Article published in Science, Volume 349, Issue 6274, pages 479-480. DOI: 10.1126/science.aac5902