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Drivers of change in fragile environments: Challenges to governance in Indian wetlands

DSpace at IIT Bombay

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Field Value
 
Title Drivers of change in fragile environments: Challenges to governance in Indian wetlands
 
Creator NARAYANAN, NC
VENOT, JP
 
Subject coastal andhra-pradesh
farmer-capitalists
management
river
natural resources
environmental degradation
polycentricity
conflicts
politics
india
 
Description In densely populated coastal wetlands with rich biodiversity, multiple, but generally competing, economic activities are common. This paper adopts a polycentric perspective to the study of wetlands management in India to assess the scope for sustainable and equitable use of these remarkable and threatened ecosystems. The analytical framework proves to be useful and highlights that the intertwined processes of environmental and social changes result from, and shape, governance patterns. The three wetlands studied share commonalities in their trajectories: high population pressure, the enclosure of the commons and subsequent capitalization of resources and social marginalization, conflicting interests and intense local politics, a disconnect between global conservation discourses and local concerns, weak institutional arrangements, and global economic forces. The intense politics of access, control and use of natural resources challenge the implementation of a true polycentric regime in the Indian context due to a tendency to bureaucratization and a lack of participation, and existing limits to democratic citizenship. Creating a democratic space where multiple voices can be considered in the decision-making process remains a challenge. The paper concludes that inclusion of power and politics in the study of governance of natural resources should be of prime concern for researchers and decision makers.
 
Publisher WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC
 
Date 2011-09-01T11:44:12Z
2011-12-26T12:59:38Z
2011-12-27T05:52:10Z
2011-09-01T11:44:12Z
2011-12-26T12:59:38Z
2011-12-27T05:52:10Z
2009
 
Type Article
 
Identifier NATURAL RESOURCES FORUM, 33(4), 320-333
0165-0203
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1477-8947.2009.01255.x
http://dspace.library.iitb.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10054/12770
http://hdl.handle.net/10054/12770
 
Language en