This was an important presentation and discussion on the ongoing aridification of New Mexico caused by higher temperatures. David Gutzler and David DuBois presented how and why New Mexico is drying, what we can expect, and the certainty of the science. The science of global warming impacts on New Mexico’s climate will guide us in how we manage and protect our scarce and life-sustaining water supplies.
Effective democratic governance of New Mexico's water resources requires more than good intentions — it requires shared vocabulary. Drawing on Elinor Ostrom's Governing the Commons and subsequent scholarship, this essay clarifies what water advocates mean by institutions, collective action, and polycentric governance, and why getting these concepts right matters for building durable, self-governing arrangements across […]