Diverging water management paradigms between Turkey and the European Union

Since the early 1990s, the integrated water resources management (IWRM) approach has been championed and adopted by some of the industrialized states. The present paper analyzes the IWRM approach through an historical narrative while emphasizing divergences in the priorities and requirements of the developing and developed countries. Then, the paper examines water resources management in Turkey taking into consideration the political and economic structure of the country. Turkey, being the accession country to the European Union (EU), has undertaken various obligations in the adaptation process required for EU membership. Hence, the paper looks into the making of the EU water policy since the 1970s with particular attention to the Water Framework Directive (WFD), its basic objectives and rules, as well as the compatibilities and differences of it with the Turkish water policy. © 2007 International Water Resources Association.