Advancing Co-governance through Framing Processes: Insights from Action-Research in the Requena-Utiel Aquifer (Eastern Spain)

Abstract

In recent years, co-management has been highlighted in the scientific literature as fundamental strategy for groundwater control. However, the development of this institutional architecture is complex and presents important pitfalls and challenges. In this article we analyse the recent experience of co-management in the Requena-Utiel aquifer (Spain), based on a participatory action research. It aims to advance the co-management of groundwater by facilitating a consensus among users, as a basis on which to support future self-governance measures. We used a cognitive framing approach, developed through interviews with local stakeholders, to analyse the conflicting visions on the aquifer management; and we developed an interactive framing approach, through workshops, to achieve a shared understanding of aquifer co-management. The research demonstrates the usefulness of these approaches to promote collective action and co-management in groundwater. It showed the key role that information and transparency play in gaining shared understanding and improving co-management; but also the difficulties of users in establishing agreements that question the current status quo on the aquifer.

Keywords

• groundwater governance
• co-management
• collective action
• framing
• sustainability