Exploring engagement practicalities and motivations in transboundary water governance

Engagement with stakeholders and the public is a key aspect of environmental governance, yet, jurisdictional boundaries, a diversity of actors, and geography complicate implementation of engagement when environmental issues supersede the scale of a country. This research examines the motivations and practices used for engagement in transboundary rivers by investigating three cases of engagement by international river basin organizations as they implemented science-policy processes to support regional water governance. The three cases provide insights into the objectives supranational organizations wish to achieve through engagement, who they engage, and how they structure their engagement. Results indicate commonalities across the cases including: the creation and use of multiple forums for engagement; the use of mechanisms known to promote acceptance of the science-policy process including representation and external review; an emphasis on engagement with national-level entities; and a narrow, well-defined scope for the topic of engagement. Variation in the forums and focus of engagement across the cases also illuminates the need for indepth research to identify factors influence the choice of engagement activities. Overall these findings highlight important aspects of engagement at larger scales and can help inform the design and implementation of engagement processes by other supranational entities.