Water Security through Institutional Resilience in the Transboundary Paso del Norte Region

摘要

The Paso del Norte (PdN) region is one of the most environmental damaged, prolific in irrigation, hydrological developed area in the Rio Grande/Bravo basin (RGB). With an average rainfall of about 150mm of rain and increasing evaporation rates, crops such as maize, alfalfa, pecans, chili, and cotton are growing in this semi-arid region. Climate change is expected to affect the quality of aquatic environments while accentuating sustained drought and water scarcity. Laws and regulations governing water in the PdN region need to be adapted to this reality. Water security in the PdN region is a binational challenge. Institutions, 'the rules of the game', have to be well thought-out, clearly targeted and made context specific. How do institutions governing water resources absorb changes, cope with major climatic challenges, and adapt to new conditions and imperatives? Stakeholders from the PdN region provide insights to foster water security and enable regional flexibility on the existing ensemble of policy processes. Building institutional resilience is paramount in responding to new imperatives in the PdN.