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This articles examines water politics and the creation of a "transborder water culture" along the western end of the Mexico-U.S. border. In global debates over water, some observers see the need to construct water "cultures" that reinforce conservation strategies, as well as transnational political cooperation. This article discusses events related to the distribution of water in the bi-national Colorado River watershed from 20032010. The article argues that a fundamental change has occurred in the concept of water culture along that border, from an idea of political culture defined as community norms that promote transborder cooperation in the strategies of water distribution, to an idea of culture as rationality that serves as a filter through which pass the political interests of individuals. This change has elevated the role played by local leaders in the process of decision-making about water distribution. An analysis of water culture in the Mexico-US borderlands must differentiate between general "binational political cultures", and specific "institutional cultures."Key Words: Mexico-U.S. border, transborder water culture, political culture, Colorado River watershed

This articles examines water politics and the creation of a "transborder water culture" along the western end of the Mexico-U.S. border. In global debates over water, some observers see the need to construct water "cultures" that reinforce conservation strategies, as well as transnational political cooperation. This article discusses events related to the distribution of water in the bi-national Colorado River watershed from 20032010. The article argues that a fundamental change has occurred in the concept of water culture along that border, from an idea of political culture defined as community norms that promote transborder cooperation in the strategies of water distribution, to an idea of culture as rationality that serves as a filter through which pass the political interests of individuals. This change has elevated the role played by local leaders in the process of decision-making about water distribution. An analysis of water culture in the Mexico-US borderlands must differentiate between general "binational political cultures", and specific "institutional cultures."Key Words: Mexico-U.S. border, transborder water culture, political culture, Colorado River watershed

Este artículo aborda la política fronteriza del agua en Sudamérica, con unadiscusión específica sobre la frontera Colombia-Venezuela. Con una perspectiva comparativa,la autora aborda el impacto de los procesos políticos en la distribución y acceso al agua enregiones fronterizas. La autora señala que la internacionalización del manejo del agua enzonas fronterizas debilita la participación pública debido al limitado conocimiento de la agendaambiental de losmacro esfuerzos regionales como la Comunidad Andina y sus instituciones.Los ríos o acuíferos compartidos son recursos «invisibles» para el común de losciudadanos en Sudamérica, que pueden convertirse en fuente potencial de conflictos o decooperación e integración regional. La cooperación es definitivamente necesaria en estoscasos. Pocos esfuerzos se han registrado recientemente en Latinoamérica. Entre estos, destacael programa Acuíferos Transfronterizos de las Américas (ISARMen Inglés), creado en 2002por la UNESCO. Es particularmente importante poner atención en la falta de acuerdostrasnacionales sobre acuíferos transfronterizos en Sudamérica para compartirresponsabilidades y toma de decisiones sobre el manejo de estas aguas. La autora señala elcaso particular del acuífero transfronterizo Cúcuta-San Antonio sin un aparente manejobinacional entre Colombia y Venezuela.

This article contends that local water practices are a fundamental element of border water politics. It asks who makes decisions concerning the distribution of binational water resources, how are these decisions made, and how do they get implemented. The analysis examines the particular case of San Diego-Imperial Valley water transfers within the context of water overallocation and urbanization in the Colorado River basin in Southern California and how this dynamic of transfers will affect the Mexican side of the binational Colorado Delta (Imperial Valley-Mexicali).

This article examines water politics in Guanajuato. Focusing on the social construction of risk, it is argued that the region is vulnerable to water shortages due to political competition. State officials have promoted economic activity and demographic growth without concern for the area's water supply. State and national water authorities compete over political power within the Lerma-Chapala Basin Council, the organization responsible for water management in the area. Moreover, representatives of the five states that make up the council attempt to maximize their own water supplies rather than guarantee the maintenance of the r egion's aquifers.

As has become our tradition, we begin this new issue by wishing our readers a happy new year in 2022. This editors' note introduces volume 12 of Regions & Cohesion, our second as an open access journal. Already we view 2022 as a promising new year. The COVID-19 pandemic is still with us, but we are showing signs of adaptation at different levels. The arrival of the Omicron variant has resulted in fewer fatalities than previous variants. New vaccines and alternative treatments are being developed, and despite numerous logistical, political, and ideological challenges, the percentage of the vaccinated global population is increasing (Shet et al., 2022). These developments, combined with promising research on neonatal immunity and children's immune tolerance indicate that we are heading in the direction of increased resilience.

The American continents have become one of the epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic. Statistically, it is the world region which has been impacted the most by the pandemic. By August 3, 2021, over two million people have been confirmed to have died from COVID-19, which represents roughly half of the total number of confirmed global deaths from the disease (Statista, 2021). Moreover, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) estimates that the economies of this region will contract by 5.3% in 2021, which will plunge almost 30 million inhabitants of this world region into poverty (ECLAC, 2021).

After almost one year of global pandemic, the overlapping crises caused by COVID-19 have worsened in most regions, and people have become weary of both the coronavirus and government measures aimed at limiting its spread and collateral impacts. Many people clamor for a return to "normal." With the announcement in November 2020 that vaccine tests have shown promising results, it seems that a medical solution to the health pandemic could be a defining feature of the first few months of 2021.

The Editors' Note is a space for us to introduce important themes addressed by the articles in each issue of Regions & Cohesion. We will, of course, complete this task. However, before doing so, we take this opportunity to write about our world during the present coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, this crisis has forced most nation-states to close their borders as a necessary public health measure. Travel restrictions are regrettable but comprehensible.

Regional integration has significantly impacted sustainable development processes at the sub-national, supranational and interregional levels. Regions & Cohesion here has highlighted the complexity of interactions between policy arenas and actors/stakeholders at different levels of governance. Past articles have examined how regions can build bridges between policy arenas and levels of governance in different world regions with the objective of promoting sustainability.