A “new water culture” on the Iberian Peninsula? Evaluating epistemic community impact on water resources management policy

It is widely assumed that science should contribute to environmental policymaking. The epistemic communities framework provides a set of hypotheses regarding the conditions under which experts may serve as a conduit for such knowledge. An important critique of this approach, however, is that it is more often used metaphorically than empirically—analysts seldom identify such communities firmly on the basis of the fourfold belief system that defines them in the literature before proceeding with an analysis of policy impact. This article applies the defining components of the belief system set forth originally by Peter Haas to identify an epistemic community on the Iberian Peninsula promoting a “new water culture.” Once an empirical identification of the community is established, the article seeks to answer the questions: Have experts promoting a “new water culture” influenced water resources management policy locally, nationally, and/or transnationally? Under what conditions is impact more or less likely?