ABSTRACT
The increasing complexity of environmental policy is a result of new and global environmental issues and IT developments. Global environmental impacts seem to result in new forms of governance and practices. This may require new or broader conceptual frameworks. Beside the disturbance chain (DPSIR), a well-structured process of data and information flows is also needed. Water mass and load balances also offer a lot of opportunities and may serve as a basic tool for policy measures, sustainable development or the development of complex indicators. It will be shown that balances relate in a stepwise pattern to a broad and high-level policy, making this process more efficient and effective. This approach is of practical use for integrated water management, although the description of this term should be restricted in favour of new terms dealing explicitly with governance aspects.
