Making collaborative water governance accountable? The River Chief System in China

The River Chief System (RCS) represents a collaborative water governance approach in China that promotes cross-boundary collaboration and enhanced accountability mechanisms. However, collaborative governance is often criticized for compromising accountability. This study develops a conceptual framework that focuses on both vertical and horizontal accountability within the RCS. Using the RCS in Xiamen as a case study, the findings highlight the significant role of vertical accountability in shaping actors’ behaviour in multiple forms of collaboration. In contrast, horizontal accountability largely remains informal and ineffective. The study furthers the understanding of intricate accountability in collaborative water governance under an authoritarian context.