A historical institutionalist analysis of critical junctures and path dependence in Bhutan's water governance

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) has been promoted as a solution to water governance challenges globally, yet its practical application often encounters significant hurdles, particularly in developing countries of the Global South. Decades after adopting IWRM in formal policies, countries are struggling to implement it in practice. The concept of critical junctures and institutional path dependence provides a valuable lens for understanding this struggle to implement such a global paradigm. Based on a case study of Bhutan, we explore how historical institutional factors and existing governance structures shape (and limit) the IWRM implementation in the country. This case study combined a comprehensive archival analysis of relevant national reforms and legislation with in-depth interviews with 25 key informants. We find that longstanding history of overlapping water sector mandates, and the introduction of formal water legislations have created institutional pathways that limit the adaptability of current governance structures. Although the adoption of a new paradigm, IWRM, signals a shift towards integrated and coordinated governance, its implementation has been significantly constrained by the historical legacy of fragmented authority and sector-driven development planning. As a result, while policy frameworks now reflect global paradigms, the transformation of water governance institutions remains limited. This resonates with the broader international experiences where entrenched institutional structures limit reform efforts.