Framing Solutions: Options for Action

Jerome Delli Priscolli, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Jacob Scherr, National Resources Defense Council
Janice Beecher, Michigan State University
Gordon Binder, Aqua Partners International

"There are strong correlations between public capital investments and the movements in the private sector productivity. This is another way of saying there is some initial public investment – significant investment – to set the terms by which people can be entrepreneurs." — Jerome Delli Priscoli

"A lot of people got the sense that we had gotten into this pattern where nation leaders would go to international summits, sign treaties, agree to action plans, make grand pronouncements and then four, five years later you'd look and not much had happened." — Jacob Scherr

"Looking across the sectors, again, water is arguably the most monopolistic due to market failures."
— Janice Beecher

"We're going to need lots of money to be sure, but transparency, functioning utilities, dispute resolution mechanisms, project development skills and other attributes are essential." — Gordon Binder

The second panel was tasked with answering the "how" question – how should the United State proceed in addressing global water issues? Several key principles and priorities emerged.

Water and water projects can be linked to three common goals: (1) economic development, (2) environmental stability, and (3) democratization and institution building. A historical review of the role of building infrastructure for water security to U.S. development exemplifies the link between infrastructure development and economic development. Such a review also sheds light on the importance of planning for the environment and reaching an equilibrium between human needs and providing enough water to ecosystems for maintaining their natural services. Finally, while long-term sustainable solutions ultimately rely on good governance, water projects can also be used as a tool to foster democratic habits, experience, and practices.

Reaching each of these goals requires focus and activities in three priority areas: (1) building institutions, (2) building a consensus and political will, and (3) generating financial resources. As mentioned above, water projects can be linked to capacity building and democracy projects on both a small scale at the village or municipal level and a large scale using professional exchanges and ministerial meetings or summits. Gatherings of officials from various agencies, levels of government, and countries can also help to foster a consensus on a country's needs and encourage sufficient energy and resources to meet those needs. Such forums could reach a conclusion on water's character as both a human right and an economic good. With a resolute plan and enough willpower, countries could make the changes in regulatory frameworks necessary to protect against market failures and to attract private sector investment. Public sector investment is necessary for large infrastructure projects, but private sector investment will play a significant role in the estimated $180 billion additional investment needed to alleviate the world's water challenges. Thus far, the business model has simply not worked for private companies in developing countries due to governance issues and mismatched expectations. The bottom line remains that long-term sustainable solutions are based on input from all stakeholders given within a clearly defined and transparent institutional framework.

Back to Workshop One: U.S. Policy Innovation

Jerome Delli Priscoli
Jacob Scherr
Janice Beecher
Gordon Binder