Institutional framework and decision‐ making practices for water management in Syria  

This volume of the INECO publishable reports outlines the analysis of the institutional framework and decision‐making practices for water management in Syria. It highlights the main water management challenges faced in the country today, and focuses on one water management issue that is currently perceived as extremely significant by water management authorities and citizens: the environmental degradation of the Barada River. Historically, the Barada River has been considered a vital socio‐economic resource, sustaining the Ghouta oasis  and agricultural activities in the area. The hyper‐urbanisation of the greater Damascus area, coupled with the uncontrolled discharge of industrial effluents, has led to the signifi‐ cant degradation of the river and its tributaries, posing a significant threat for all local eco‐systems, as well as surface and groundwater bodies.