Towards a sustainable, balanced and equitable allocation of water use rights

In times of increasing water scarcity due to climate change, growing populations and economic development, the allocation of water use rights becomes an issue that needs further discussion. Transparent allocation of water rights is crucial to a sustainable, balanced and equitable use of water; to guarantee the right to water; and to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. In this chapter, we discuss the allocation of water use rights at the international, regional and national level from a comparative perspective, using a systematic method to assess water governance capacity. At the national level, we make a comparison of water allocation in Indonesia, Kenya, The Netherlands and China. All countries researched show a development towards more sustainable and equitable water use as well as a more balanced and equitable allocation of water use rights. Every country has to find solutions for dealing with existing water use rights and their re-allocation. Improving participation and a mix of policy instruments enables a transparent balancing of interests. Finally, taking the possibilities for enforcement and conflict solution into account when designing allocation policies seems to be a step to which all countries should give more attention.