Stakeholder integration predicts better outcomes from groundwater sustainability policy

Authors: Hammond Wagner, Courtney; PERRONE, DEBRA - University Of California Santa Barbara; ROHDE, MELISSA - Nature Conservancy; ANDERSON, REBECCA - Consultant; ARTHUR, SAMANTHA - Audubon California; ATUME, NGODOO - Clean Water Action; BROWN, MEAGAN - University Of California Santa Barbara; ESAKI-KUA, LAUREN - Stanford University; GONZALEZ, MARTHA - University Of California Santa Barbara; GARVEY, KELLY - University Of California Santa Barbara; HEIDEL, KATHERINE - Tetra Tech; Jones, William; KHOSROWSHAHI ASL, SARA - Stanford University; MUNILL, CARRIE - Tetra Tech; NELSON, REBECCA - Melbourne Law School; ORTIZ-PARTIDA, J. PABLO - Union Of Concerned Scientists; REMSON, E - Nature Conservancy

Submitted to: Nature Communications
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/5/2023
Publication Date: 6/27/2023
Citation: Hammond Wagner, C.R., Perrone, D., Rohde, M., Anderson, R., Arthur, S., Atume, N., Brown, M., Esaki-Kua, L., Gonzalez, M., Garvey, K., Heidel, K., Jones, W.D., Khosrowshahi Asl, S., Munill, C., Nelson, R., Ortiz-Partida, J., Remson, E.J. 2023. Stakeholder integration predicts better outcomes from groundwater sustainability policy. Nature Communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39363-y.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39363-y

Interpretive Summary: Problem: Achieving sustainable management of natural resources requires the equitable sharing of resources between users, including balancing groundwater resources for agriculture, drinking water and the environment. It has been claimed that stakeholder integration into natural resource planning and policy leads to better and more equitable environmental outcomes, but conclusive evidence is lacking. To ensure equitable sustainable groundwater management, we need to better understand the links between stakeholder integration and natural resource planning outcomes. Accomplishment: We examine the 108 groundwater sustainability plans created under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Action to evaluate integration of agricultural, domestic and environmental users into the planning process, their protection under the plans management criteria and the extent to which integration predicts protection. We show that 1) stakeholder integration was lacking for all stakeholder groups, but disproportionately more so for marginalized groups (i.e., disadvantaged communities and small farms); 2) the majority of the state’s wells and ecosystems are not protected by the Plans; and 3) stakeholder integration is important for achieving protection, particularly for historically underserved members of the community. Contribution to solving the problem: Our results demonstrate that stakeholder integration supports better and more equitable environmental outcomes for stakeholders, and therefore an important path towards achieving sustainable management. However, our results also highlight that the majority of Plans lack integration and lack protection for users, suggesting that the benefits of the participatory process were not realized in most cases.

Technical Abstract: Sustainable management of natural resources is critical for living within planetary boundaries and societies that are equitable and just. Because many natural resources are common-pool resources, the integration of a diverse set of stakeholders into policy and decision-making processes has been theorized as an essential prerequisite for achieving sustainability. Here, we assess whether stakeholder integration results in the protection of groundwater access and ability to exercise the right to water within groundwater sustainability plans submitted under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). We show that: 1) stakeholder integration was lacking for all stakeholder groups, but disproportionately more so for marginalized groups; 2) under best case scenarios, the majority of the state’s wells and ecosystems are not protected under SGMA; and 3) stakeholder integration, when implemented, is important for achieving protection. Our findings highlight the importance of integrating diverse stakeholder needs into sustainability planning and management to combat society’s toughest challenges.