Collaborative partnerships and the challenges for sustainable water management

Collaborative partnerships are being used around the world to address complex water problems and integrate diverse government and non-government perspectives. This approach views decision-making as a dialog and negotiation involving stakeholders from government, nonprofit and private sectors, and deliberation with the general public. In this review we note the different demands required for partnerships based on cooperation and coordination. We also review the typical levels at which partnerships operate, including those focused on actions, organizations and policies. The resulting matrix of partnership settings and approaches highlights some of the different kinds of challenges faced by government sponsors, participating stakeholders and the public. We suggest that addressing these challenges is important for delivering sustainable water management approaches.