Model-based Governance: A Cybernetic Approach to Water Allocation Control.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Systems Theory
• Cybernetics

Background:

• Water is essential for life, but scarcity is a growing global concern.
• Effective management of hydric systems, particularly River Basin Organizations (RBOs), is crucial for addressing water scarcity.
• Current water governance models often rely on traditional legal and regulatory frameworks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel methodological contribution for improving water governance within RBOs.
• To present the Viable System Model (VSM) as a cybernetic framework for diagnosing and redesigning water governance systems.
• To explore the potential of VSM in ensuring the viability and sustainability of water management.

Main Methods:

• Application of the Viable System Model (VSM), a cybernetic framework, to water governance.
• Utilizing VSM for the diagnosis and (re-)design of governance structures within RBOs.
• Conducting an extensive case study in the Tocantins-Araguaia Hydrographic Region, Brazil.

Main Results:

• The Viable System Model (VSM) offers a unique theoretical and methodological approach to water governance.
• VSM provides insights into the deep structures necessary for the viability of social, socio-ecological, and socio-technical systems.
• The application in the Tocantins-Araguaia basin demonstrates the potential of VSM to balance water needs and supply, ensuring sustainability.

Conclusions:

• The Viable System Model (VSM) presents an unorthodox yet promising methodology for enhancing water governance.
• Implementing VSM can lead to significant environmental, social, and economic benefits in water management.
• The study suggests that VSM can reframe water management systems, ensuring their long-term viability and sustainability.