This book examines the role played by business in urban water governance by analyzing the evoluti... more This book examines the role played by business in urban water governance by analyzing the evolution of the global private water sector along with four public-private partnerships in Mexico and the U.S.
The local nature of water services often hides the global developments behind the rise of transnational water corporations, which have gone from being local operators to becoming dynamic and powerful actors within an interconnected transnational space for water. This book focuses on the French groups Veolia and Suez, two of the most prominent private actors in global water governance, and the development and adaptation strategies of both companies in the cities of Aguascalientes, Mexico City, Atlanta, and Milwaukee over the past 30 years. Drawing on over 100 interviews conducted with corporate executives, public authorities, and local users of water services, this book moves beyond the simplistic dichotomy of the public-private debate and develops a theoretical framework that analyzes the economic and political power wielded by transnational business actors in global water governance. Not only does the book explain how Veolia and Suez strategically mobilize resources at difference scales in order to expand their global operations, but it also provides a nuanced picture of how state regulation remains of central importance to understanding the dynamics and evolution of the global water sector.
Students and scholars interested in business and the environment, including public-private partnerships, business management and transnational corporations, and water governance, will find this book of great interest as will professionals and policymakers working in these fields.
International Journal of Water Resources Development, 2022
This article discusses whether the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for change in urban wate... more This article discusses whether the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for change in urban water governance in Mexico. We analyse the National Water Commission's action plan; the private firm Veolia's use of digital technologies and strategic partnerships in Aguascalientes; and the grassroots activities of the Bajo Tierra Virtual Museum in Queretaro. We argue that the pandemic had no real impact on the first two cases since their initiatives were circumscribed by centralized and market-oriented structures, but constituted an opportunity for Bajo Tierra to gain visibility and recognition to transition towards more adaptive forms of water governance.
In 2010, Parisian authorities remunicipalized water services. This paper addresses three main que... more In 2010, Parisian authorities remunicipalized water services. This paper addresses three main questions: How did this reform come about? Why did public authorities return to a public management model for water services? What are the main policy implications? It identifies two critical factors: (1) the promotion of a “revisited” model of public-private partnerships by international institutions, and (2) the rise of a new political vision amongst local authorities concerning their own role as key actors in water services management.
The ecological footprint of cities is the largest on the planet. Consequently, understanding the ... more The ecological footprint of cities is the largest on the planet. Consequently, understanding the scope and limitations of recent methodologies that promote urban environmental sustainability has become increasingly relevant. This article analyzes the implementation process of two methodologies, the ICP (Prosperous City Index) of UN-Habitat and the PCES (Emerging and Sustainable Cities Program) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in intermediate cities of the Global South. The text begins by reviewing the major trends that have characterized the urban environmental agenda over the last decades as well as the evolution of the term environmental sustainability. Secondly, it presents the research methodology, based on the participation of the authors in the application of the ICP and the PCES in 6 intermediate cities of Mexico and on a comparative analysis of the scope and results obtained in the different stages of these methodologies. In the development section, three categor...
The remunicipalization of Parisian water services: new challenges for local authorities and polic... more The remunicipalization of Parisian water services: new challenges for local authorities and policy implications
Joyce Valdovinos* Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3, Paris, France (Received 23 January 2011; final version received 22 February 2012)
In 2010, Parisian authorities remunicipalized water services. This paper addresses three main questions: How did this reform come about? Why did public authorities return to a public management model for water services?What are the main policy implications? It identifies two critical factors: (1) the promotion of a “revisited” model of public-private partnerships by international institutions, and (2) the rise of a new political vision amongst local authorities concerning their own role as key actors in water services management.
Keywords: water services; remunicipalization; public management; public-private partnership; Paris.
Resumen. La provisión del servicio del agua ha sido tradicionalmente considerada como una respons... more Resumen. La provisión del servicio del agua ha sido tradicionalmente considerada como una responsabilidad del Estado. A finales de la década de 1980, el sector privado emerge como un actor clave en el suministro de servicios públicos. La ciudad de México no escapa a esta tendencia y en 1993 las autoridades públicas firman contratos de servicios con cuatro consorcios privados. A través de este estudio de caso, dos preguntas son planteadas: ¿Por qué las autoridades públicas establecen partenariados con el sector privado? ¿Cuáles son las implicaciones de dichos partenariados en la gobernanza del agua? Este artículo aborda por una parte, el debate conceptual del agua como bien público y/o privado, identificando nuevas tendencias y estrategias de los operadores privados. Por otra parte, se analizan el rol y las relaciones del Estado con otros actores a través de un modelo de gobernanza, definido en términos de partenariados y redes multi-niveles.
Palabras clave: agua, gobernanza, partenariados públicos-privados, redes multi-niveles, ciudad de México.
Abstract. The provision of water services has traditionally been considered a responsibility of the state. During the late 1980s, the private sector emerged as a key actor in the provision of public services. Mexico City was no exception to this trend and public authorities awarded service contracts to four private consortia in 1993. Through consideration of this case study, two main questions arise: First, why do public authorities es- tablish partnerships with the private sector? Second, what are the impli- cations of these partnerships for water governance? This article focuses, on the one hand, on the conceptual debate of water as a public and/or private good, while identifying new trends and strategies carried out by private operators. On the other hand, it analyzes the role of the state and its relationships with other actors through a governance model characte- rized by partnerships and multilevel networks.
Keywords: governance, Mexico City, multilevel networks, public and pri- vate partnerships, water
Résumé. Les services de l’eau ont été traditionnellement considérés comme une responsabilité de l’État. À la fin des années 1980, le secteur privé est apparu comme un acteur clé dans la fourniture de certains services publics. La ville de Mexico n’a pas échappé à cette tendance et en 1993, les autorités publiques ont signé des contrats de services avec quatre consortiums privés. À travers cette étude de cas, nous nous interrogerons sur deux aspects : pourquoi les autorités publiques établissent-elles des partenariats avec le secteur privé ? Quelles sont les implications de ces partenariats sur la gouvernance de l’eau ? Cet article s’intéresse, d’une part, au débat conceptuel sur l’eau en tant que bien public et/ou privé, en identifiant les tendances nouvelles et les stratégies menées par les opérateurs privés. D’autre part y sont analysés le rôle de l’État et ses relations avec d’autres acteurs à travers un modèle de gouvernance, défini en termes de partenariats, et des réseaux multi-niveaux.
Mots clés : eau, gouvernance, partenariats public-privé, réseaux multi- niveaux, ville de Mexico
This book examines the role played by business in urban water governance by analyzing the evoluti... more This book examines the role played by business in urban water governance by analyzing the evolution of the global private water sector along with four public-private partnerships in Mexico and the U.S.
The local nature of water services often hides the global developments behind the rise of transnational water corporations, which have gone from being local operators to becoming dynamic and powerful actors within an interconnected transnational space for water. This book focuses on the French groups Veolia and Suez, two of the most prominent private actors in global water governance, and the development and adaptation strategies of both companies in the cities of Aguascalientes, Mexico City, Atlanta, and Milwaukee over the past 30 years. Drawing on over 100 interviews conducted with corporate executives, public authorities, and local users of water services, this book moves beyond the simplistic dichotomy of the public-private debate and develops a theoretical framework that analyzes the economic and political power wielded by transnational business actors in global water governance. Not only does the book explain how Veolia and Suez strategically mobilize resources at difference scales in order to expand their global operations, but it also provides a nuanced picture of how state regulation remains of central importance to understanding the dynamics and evolution of the global water sector.
Students and scholars interested in business and the environment, including public-private partnerships, business management and transnational corporations, and water governance, will find this book of great interest as will professionals and policymakers working in these fields.
International Journal of Water Resources Development, 2022
This article discusses whether the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for change in urban wate... more This article discusses whether the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for change in urban water governance in Mexico. We analyse the National Water Commission's action plan; the private firm Veolia's use of digital technologies and strategic partnerships in Aguascalientes; and the grassroots activities of the Bajo Tierra Virtual Museum in Queretaro. We argue that the pandemic had no real impact on the first two cases since their initiatives were circumscribed by centralized and market-oriented structures, but constituted an opportunity for Bajo Tierra to gain visibility and recognition to transition towards more adaptive forms of water governance.
In 2010, Parisian authorities remunicipalized water services. This paper addresses three main que... more In 2010, Parisian authorities remunicipalized water services. This paper addresses three main questions: How did this reform come about? Why did public authorities return to a public management model for water services? What are the main policy implications? It identifies two critical factors: (1) the promotion of a “revisited” model of public-private partnerships by international institutions, and (2) the rise of a new political vision amongst local authorities concerning their own role as key actors in water services management.
The ecological footprint of cities is the largest on the planet. Consequently, understanding the ... more The ecological footprint of cities is the largest on the planet. Consequently, understanding the scope and limitations of recent methodologies that promote urban environmental sustainability has become increasingly relevant. This article analyzes the implementation process of two methodologies, the ICP (Prosperous City Index) of UN-Habitat and the PCES (Emerging and Sustainable Cities Program) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in intermediate cities of the Global South. The text begins by reviewing the major trends that have characterized the urban environmental agenda over the last decades as well as the evolution of the term environmental sustainability. Secondly, it presents the research methodology, based on the participation of the authors in the application of the ICP and the PCES in 6 intermediate cities of Mexico and on a comparative analysis of the scope and results obtained in the different stages of these methodologies. In the development section, three categor...
The remunicipalization of Parisian water services: new challenges for local authorities and polic... more The remunicipalization of Parisian water services: new challenges for local authorities and policy implications
Joyce Valdovinos* Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3, Paris, France (Received 23 January 2011; final version received 22 February 2012)
In 2010, Parisian authorities remunicipalized water services. This paper addresses three main questions: How did this reform come about? Why did public authorities return to a public management model for water services?What are the main policy implications? It identifies two critical factors: (1) the promotion of a “revisited” model of public-private partnerships by international institutions, and (2) the rise of a new political vision amongst local authorities concerning their own role as key actors in water services management.
Keywords: water services; remunicipalization; public management; public-private partnership; Paris.
Resumen. La provisión del servicio del agua ha sido tradicionalmente considerada como una respons... more Resumen. La provisión del servicio del agua ha sido tradicionalmente considerada como una responsabilidad del Estado. A finales de la década de 1980, el sector privado emerge como un actor clave en el suministro de servicios públicos. La ciudad de México no escapa a esta tendencia y en 1993 las autoridades públicas firman contratos de servicios con cuatro consorcios privados. A través de este estudio de caso, dos preguntas son planteadas: ¿Por qué las autoridades públicas establecen partenariados con el sector privado? ¿Cuáles son las implicaciones de dichos partenariados en la gobernanza del agua? Este artículo aborda por una parte, el debate conceptual del agua como bien público y/o privado, identificando nuevas tendencias y estrategias de los operadores privados. Por otra parte, se analizan el rol y las relaciones del Estado con otros actores a través de un modelo de gobernanza, definido en términos de partenariados y redes multi-niveles.
Palabras clave: agua, gobernanza, partenariados públicos-privados, redes multi-niveles, ciudad de México.
Abstract. The provision of water services has traditionally been considered a responsibility of the state. During the late 1980s, the private sector emerged as a key actor in the provision of public services. Mexico City was no exception to this trend and public authorities awarded service contracts to four private consortia in 1993. Through consideration of this case study, two main questions arise: First, why do public authorities es- tablish partnerships with the private sector? Second, what are the impli- cations of these partnerships for water governance? This article focuses, on the one hand, on the conceptual debate of water as a public and/or private good, while identifying new trends and strategies carried out by private operators. On the other hand, it analyzes the role of the state and its relationships with other actors through a governance model characte- rized by partnerships and multilevel networks.
Keywords: governance, Mexico City, multilevel networks, public and pri- vate partnerships, water
Résumé. Les services de l’eau ont été traditionnellement considérés comme une responsabilité de l’État. À la fin des années 1980, le secteur privé est apparu comme un acteur clé dans la fourniture de certains services publics. La ville de Mexico n’a pas échappé à cette tendance et en 1993, les autorités publiques ont signé des contrats de services avec quatre consortiums privés. À travers cette étude de cas, nous nous interrogerons sur deux aspects : pourquoi les autorités publiques établissent-elles des partenariats avec le secteur privé ? Quelles sont les implications de ces partenariats sur la gouvernance de l’eau ? Cet article s’intéresse, d’une part, au débat conceptuel sur l’eau en tant que bien public et/ou privé, en identifiant les tendances nouvelles et les stratégies menées par les opérateurs privés. D’autre part y sont analysés le rôle de l’État et ses relations avec d’autres acteurs à travers un modèle de gouvernance, défini en termes de partenariats, et des réseaux multi-niveaux.
Mots clés : eau, gouvernance, partenariats public-privé, réseaux multi- niveaux, ville de Mexico
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The local nature of water services often hides the global developments behind the rise of transnational water corporations, which have gone from being local operators to becoming dynamic and powerful actors within an interconnected transnational space for water. This book focuses on the French groups Veolia and Suez, two of the most prominent private actors in global water governance, and the development and adaptation strategies of both companies in the cities of Aguascalientes, Mexico City, Atlanta, and Milwaukee over the past 30 years. Drawing on over 100 interviews conducted with corporate executives, public authorities, and local users of water services, this book moves beyond the simplistic dichotomy of the public-private debate and develops a theoretical framework that analyzes the economic and political power wielded by transnational business actors in global water governance. Not only does the book explain how Veolia and Suez strategically mobilize resources at difference scales in order to expand their global operations, but it also provides a nuanced picture of how state regulation remains of central importance to understanding the dynamics and evolution of the global water sector.
Students and scholars interested in business and the environment, including public-private partnerships, business management and transnational corporations, and water governance, will find this book of great interest as will professionals and policymakers working in these fields.
Joyce Valdovinos*
Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3, Paris, France
(Received 23 January 2011; final version received 22 February 2012)
In 2010, Parisian authorities remunicipalized water services. This paper addresses three main questions: How did this reform come about? Why did public authorities return to a public management model for water services?What are the main policy implications? It identifies two critical factors: (1) the promotion of a “revisited” model of public-private partnerships by international institutions, and (2) the rise of a new political vision
amongst local authorities concerning their own role as key actors in water services management.
Keywords: water services; remunicipalization; public management; public-private partnership; Paris.
Palabras clave: agua, gobernanza, partenariados públicos-privados, redes multi-niveles, ciudad de México.
Abstract. The provision of water services has traditionally been considered a responsibility of the state. During the late 1980s, the private sector emerged as a key actor in the provision of public services. Mexico City was no exception to this trend and public authorities awarded service contracts to four private consortia in 1993. Through consideration of this case study, two main questions arise: First, why do public authorities es- tablish partnerships with the private sector? Second, what are the impli- cations of these partnerships for water governance? This article focuses, on the one hand, on the conceptual debate of water as a public and/or private good, while identifying new trends and strategies carried out by private operators. On the other hand, it analyzes the role of the state and its relationships with other actors through a governance model characte- rized by
partnerships and multilevel networks.
Keywords: governance, Mexico City, multilevel networks, public and pri- vate partnerships, water
Résumé. Les services de l’eau ont été traditionnellement considérés comme une responsabilité de l’État. À la fin des années 1980, le secteur privé est apparu comme un acteur clé dans la fourniture de certains services publics. La ville de Mexico n’a pas échappé à cette tendance et en 1993, les autorités publiques ont signé des contrats de services avec quatre consortiums privés. À travers cette étude de cas, nous nous interrogerons sur deux aspects : pourquoi les autorités publiques établissent-elles des partenariats avec le secteur privé ? Quelles sont les implications de ces partenariats sur la gouvernance de l’eau ? Cet article s’intéresse, d’une part, au débat conceptuel sur l’eau en tant que bien public et/ou
privé, en identifiant les tendances nouvelles et les stratégies menées par les opérateurs privés. D’autre part y sont analysés le rôle de l’État et ses relations avec d’autres acteurs à travers un modèle de gouvernance, défini en termes de partenariats, et des réseaux multi-niveaux.
Mots clés : eau, gouvernance, partenariats public-privé, réseaux multi- niveaux, ville de Mexico
The local nature of water services often hides the global developments behind the rise of transnational water corporations, which have gone from being local operators to becoming dynamic and powerful actors within an interconnected transnational space for water. This book focuses on the French groups Veolia and Suez, two of the most prominent private actors in global water governance, and the development and adaptation strategies of both companies in the cities of Aguascalientes, Mexico City, Atlanta, and Milwaukee over the past 30 years. Drawing on over 100 interviews conducted with corporate executives, public authorities, and local users of water services, this book moves beyond the simplistic dichotomy of the public-private debate and develops a theoretical framework that analyzes the economic and political power wielded by transnational business actors in global water governance. Not only does the book explain how Veolia and Suez strategically mobilize resources at difference scales in order to expand their global operations, but it also provides a nuanced picture of how state regulation remains of central importance to understanding the dynamics and evolution of the global water sector.
Students and scholars interested in business and the environment, including public-private partnerships, business management and transnational corporations, and water governance, will find this book of great interest as will professionals and policymakers working in these fields.
Joyce Valdovinos*
Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3, Paris, France
(Received 23 January 2011; final version received 22 February 2012)
In 2010, Parisian authorities remunicipalized water services. This paper addresses three main questions: How did this reform come about? Why did public authorities return to a public management model for water services?What are the main policy implications? It identifies two critical factors: (1) the promotion of a “revisited” model of public-private partnerships by international institutions, and (2) the rise of a new political vision
amongst local authorities concerning their own role as key actors in water services management.
Keywords: water services; remunicipalization; public management; public-private partnership; Paris.
Palabras clave: agua, gobernanza, partenariados públicos-privados, redes multi-niveles, ciudad de México.
Abstract. The provision of water services has traditionally been considered a responsibility of the state. During the late 1980s, the private sector emerged as a key actor in the provision of public services. Mexico City was no exception to this trend and public authorities awarded service contracts to four private consortia in 1993. Through consideration of this case study, two main questions arise: First, why do public authorities es- tablish partnerships with the private sector? Second, what are the impli- cations of these partnerships for water governance? This article focuses, on the one hand, on the conceptual debate of water as a public and/or private good, while identifying new trends and strategies carried out by private operators. On the other hand, it analyzes the role of the state and its relationships with other actors through a governance model characte- rized by
partnerships and multilevel networks.
Keywords: governance, Mexico City, multilevel networks, public and pri- vate partnerships, water
Résumé. Les services de l’eau ont été traditionnellement considérés comme une responsabilité de l’État. À la fin des années 1980, le secteur privé est apparu comme un acteur clé dans la fourniture de certains services publics. La ville de Mexico n’a pas échappé à cette tendance et en 1993, les autorités publiques ont signé des contrats de services avec quatre consortiums privés. À travers cette étude de cas, nous nous interrogerons sur deux aspects : pourquoi les autorités publiques établissent-elles des partenariats avec le secteur privé ? Quelles sont les implications de ces partenariats sur la gouvernance de l’eau ? Cet article s’intéresse, d’une part, au débat conceptuel sur l’eau en tant que bien public et/ou
privé, en identifiant les tendances nouvelles et les stratégies menées par les opérateurs privés. D’autre part y sont analysés le rôle de l’État et ses relations avec d’autres acteurs à travers un modèle de gouvernance, défini en termes de partenariats, et des réseaux multi-niveaux.
Mots clés : eau, gouvernance, partenariats public-privé, réseaux multi- niveaux, ville de Mexico