The management of water scarcity and droughts in France

Abstract

This article deals with policies and management measures addressing water scarcity and droughts in France. The first part describes existing practices, differentiating between quota and pricing instruments and between structural and temporary measures. The second part discusses policies and measures that could be applied in France. It includes policies providing incitation to support farm-level adaptations, a reform of current crisis management and pricing and market measures that could be differentiated depending on the end-user, the state of the resource and the weather conditions. Moreover, these measures fit in the current policy reform and the introduction of local institutions for collective water management, called OUGC.