Transitioning away from open access: lessons learnt from a comparative analysis of water allocation regimes worldwide

The transition from open to regulated access to water resources is a challenging task for water managers who have to address complex environmental, social and economic trade-offs. Water allocation is a powerful tool, yet its implementation is deeply conflictual. This chapter compares the process of transitioning to regulated access in 13 case studies worldwide. It shows the wide diversity of institutional settings and design choices, while exploring why differences occur and considering the advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches deployed in various contexts. It concludes with key takeaways and reflections on the need for ongoing work assessing the environmental, social and economic performance of allocation regimes.