An Analysis Of Multilevel Governance Of Water Resources In Lancang-Mekong River Basin

The Lancang-Mekong River,which runs through China,Myanmar,the Laos,Thailand,Cambodia,and Vietnam,is the vital link between China and Southeast Asia.Whereas the cooperation between China and the Mekong countries deepens,human beings face more severe challenges concerning the Lancang-Mekong water resources situation in the 21^stcentury.The analysis of the multilevel governance of water resources in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin includes the problems of the Lancang-Mekong water resources and the problems'contributing factors,as well as the contents and effects of water resources governance in the country,regional and global level.Compared with water management,the Lancang-Mekong water resources governance has diversified actors,including countries,international organizations,as well as international non-governmental organizations.Each independent actor is also interdependent with each other.The governance objects include not only water resources,but also the actors which use water resources.With sustainable development ideology,the multilevel governance of water resources facilitates useful institutional arrangements via negotiation and cooperation.The Lancang-Mekong River Basin has its own water resources feature compared with other regions in the world.The environmental conditions are relatively unique in the region.And the six countries along the river have different ways of utilizing water resource as well as focuses on national interests.However,the riparian countries,which are all developing countries,should conduct the water governance in the view of cooperation.Due to the flow of the water resources,the riparian countries have difficulty in distributing the water rights.And diversified factors contribute the water resources problems.Climate change increases the risk of water resources as well as difficulty of cooperative governance.The conflicts of interest distribution between the riparian countries,improper coordination of the riparian development,absence of mutual trust,and big powers'intervention are all the influential factors of the Lancang-Mekong water resources governance.Each riparian country has conducted the water governance individually and bilaterally.China has been promoting the water resources cooperation with the neighbouring countries.And the Mekong countries have been positive in transboundary water governance,passed laws to deal with relevant problems,and agreed on sustainable development.However,the Mekong countries lack in effective communication with other riparian countries.Though the riparian countries have gained some progress via conducting the water governance individually,regional and international cooperation is also needed.To build and regulate the Lancang-Mekong water governance regimes is necessary;thus regional water resources cooperation can be promoted,water resources conflicts can be coordinated,and water resources culture can be cultivated.The Mekong River Commission(MRC)is the specific water resources governance mechanism.And transboundary water governance is one of the working areas of the Greater Mekong Subregion(GMS)and ASEAN.The LMC mechanism,founded by all of the six riparian countries,has gained much progress via cooperation.The LMC mechanism also makes the water resources governance more sustainable.In the meantime,some deficits of the regional regimes also exist.For instance,the MRC and GMS have most of their donation from overseas actors;the MRC cannot cover all the six riparian countries;the fragmentation of the subregional governance regimes exists.Thus,the Lancang-Mekong water resources cooperation still needs to be enhanced.Global governance has its key influential factors.International organizations advocate the implementation of the United Nations'2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as relevant international law and governance ideology.International organizations promote the participation of diversified actors,and emphasize on the link between water and other factors such as energy and food.International cooperation platforms set by international organizations promote sustainable development.Moreover,international non-governmental organizations also promote sustainable development and advocate cooperative participation.International non-governmental organizations publicize the ideology of protecting water,analyze transboundary water governance,hold some academic activities to enhance the influence,and participate in various activities influencing the construction of water conservancy facilities.On the Lancang-Mekong water resources governance effects from the perspective of global governance,on the one hand,the platform effects of sustainable development are enhanced,and the increasing social participation increases the governance effects;on the other hand,international organizations need to promote the interaction with riparian countries and governance regimes,and international non-governmental organizations need to be more reasonable.Through academic analysis,the conclusions of this study are as follows:first of all,the Lancang-Mekong water resources governance reflects the features of multilevel governance.Many actors and stakeholders involved in the water resources governance of the Lancang-Mekong River,the different demands of interests influence the governance.The country is the basic actor of water resources governance,and the attitude of the Lancang-Mekong riparian countries towards transboundary water resources cooperation is generally positive.In consideration of their own national interests,big powers outside the region have been actively involved in the Lancang-Mekong water resources governance.The LMC mechanism promotes cooperation among various actors and mechanisms through multilevel and network links.Afterwards,various governance regimes are involved in the Lancang-Mekong water resources governance.Due to the competition among multiple regimes,the effects of water resources governance will be possibly influenced to some extent.With the regime complexity existing,the need of cooperation and integration among various regimes is more urgent.Then,the establishment of the LMC mechanism is good for expanding the positive spillover effect of the Lancang-Mekong water resources governance.Water resources cooperation is a priority area of the LMC mechanism,and the transboundary water is a natural link connecting the riparian countries.The rational use of water resources can promote the economic development of all the related countries.In the end,in recent years,China has paid more attention to the neighborhood diplomacy and security,and promoted the cooperative water resources governance with the Mekong countries.With the impetus of transboundary water governance and LMC mechanism,the regional order will develop beneficially in line with China's national interests.In essence,human beings'improper governance leads to the Lancang-Mekong water resources problems.In the future,to boost better cooperation and water resources governance,China needs to conduct cooperation with riparian countries as well as regional and global governance regimes,implement multilevel governance towards the Lancang-Mekong Community with a shared future,emphasize on the joint development between the LMC mechanism and other regimes,pay attention to the situation at home and abroad equally,introduce technological cooperation,uphold the correct concept of justice and interests,and promote public diplomacy to enhance mutual trust.Thus,the governance effects will be better developed.