To what extent are water rights subject to restrictions based on ideas of stewardship?

This policy brief addresses how the meaning and scope of farmers’ economic rights to access and use water are changing through increasing emphasis on stewardship responsibilities.

Water law has been the subject of considerable attention in the Scottish Parliament since its re-establishment in 1999, with five Water Acts passed in that time. 

 

This policy brief examines these recent reforms and considers whether there has been a shift from private rights to private responsibilitie

This policy brief assesses the role of ‘rights’ in water use and water trade in the face of increasing water scarcity and uncertainty caused by climate change. 

 

The ‘water shares’ approach to water pricing and trade has become arguably the leading option for abstraction reform.