Toward more accurate quantification: A review of global large river basin management policies

As primary carriers of water resources, large river basins are crucial in water resources management, and their effective management requires appropriate policy measures. Given the complexity and variety of these policies, it is essential to quantitatively assess their completeness and effectiveness, to aid managers in selecting suitable policies and promptly adjusting management practices. However, there remains room for improvement in global research on river basin management policies. This review synthesizes current quantitative analysis methods of large-scale river basin management policies. We examine methods and case studies related to policy formulation, implementation, and prospect stages, focusing on policy completeness analyses, effectiveness evaluations, and future impact predictions. Some existing, mature quantitative methods for river basin management policy assessment have inherent limitations and room for improvement. As for policy completeness analysis, current methods need to be optimized to reduce subjectivity and enhance quantitative accuracy, particularly in regions with numerous policy documents. In terms of policy effectiveness evaluation, comprehensive quantitative assessments of large-scale river basin policies are still lacking, which represents a gap that warrants future investigation in future research. Moreover, it is important to employ rigorous scientific methods when evaluating individual policies, to reduce external interferences. As for future policy impact predictions, it is crucial to set accurate baselines and scenarios, to ensure precise quantitative simulation results. In conclusion, to address global water resources management challenges and provide insights for policymakers for the formulation or optimization of future policies, it is essential to develop more precise quantitative methods for the analysis of river basin management policies.