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Local governments in developing countries are crucial for providing public services that promote human development and address challenges like extreme weather, unemployment and crumbling infrastructure. Yet, they often face difficulties in implementing cost-effective programs that meet citizens’ diverse needs, particularly in areas with significant socioeconomic inequalities. A recent study , published in World Development and led by University of Notre Dame researcher Krister Andersson , explored the impact of economic and social inequalities on local government performance in Chile (a country with very high socioeconomic inequalities). Specifically, the paper assessed the effectiveness of external policies to alleviate the negative effects of inequality on the quality of local public services. The study found that socioeconomic inequalities pose significant challenges for local governance, often trapping local governments in a cycle of limited resources, rising inequality and declining capacity to meet citizens’ needs. “Interventions to help local governments to deal with inequality seem to be most effective when they recognize a leadership role and some autonomy of local leaders,” said Andersson, a professor of sustainable development at Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs . Using a dataset spanning 56 local government territories in Chile from 2000 to 2014, the study analyzed citizen satisfaction with local government performance. Multilevel modeling was used to assess how different policy approaches — top-down, sector-based support and bottom-up, demand-driven funding — influence satisfaction levels. The study evaluated four prominent national programs designed to address inequalities and citizen dissatisfaction. It found only one program to be effective, while the other three either had no impact or worsened the negative link between inequality and quality of local government services. As socioeconomic disparities widened, the study found that citizen satisfaction with local government programs declined significantly. Poorer territories experienced greater dissatisfaction while wealthier citizens were less affected, as they relied less on government services for daily needs. Extreme socioeconomic inequalities also constrained local governments’ ability to deliver effective services. Limited resources, inadequate personnel and insufficient infrastructure hindered their capacity to address diverse community needs. Despite significant investments by the Chilean national government to improve infrastructure and public services, many initiatives failed to bridge the gap. The study, Andersson said, highlights the necessity of strategic, targeted interventions to break the cycle of inequality and enhance public satisfaction with local governance. “These findings underscore the challenge faced by national governments trying to address inequalities. Simply increasing earmarked funding to local governments may not be sufficient. We see the importance of carefully designed policies and strengthened local governance structures to improve service delivery and address persistent socioeconomic inequalities,” he said. The research was supported by grants from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development in Chile. Contact: Tracy DeStazio, associate director of media relations, 574-631-9958 or [email protected]It has become more common of late to check the news and see headlines about drought, flooding, hurricanes, groundwater depletion, fire and other climate disasters, the vast majority of which are water-related. According to the , the U.S. now experiences an average of $1 billion in climate disasters every three weeks. The country is also ahead of that number for 2024. , 19 confirmed $1 billion climate disasters had occurred, including 15 severe storms, one tropical cyclone, one wildfire and two winter storms. This alarming frequency underscores the urgent need for action. We live in a new climate where flooding, storms, and fire are no longer “one-off" emergencies. They are consistent and often catastrophic in scale and damage. Within this new reality, state CIOs have an evolving role to play. Leaders responsible for managing agencies must adopt a new mindset focused on resilience, with water challenges at the forefront of their thinking. Questions like, “How might water-related disasters impact my constituents and agency operations?” and “Where is my agency vulnerable to water-related disasters that could affect infrastructure, resources, transportation, emergency services, and constituent safety?” should be central to both short- and long-term planning. Given the breadth and depth of their role, CIOs are uniquely positioned to build resiliency within and across agencies in state government. Technology and information are essential to solving issues and driving outcomes, allowing CIOs to unite organizations through collective understanding and cohesive action. CIOs were forced to adapt quickly during the pandemic, building new systems and tools that kept agencies running as the world adjusted to a “new normal.” This experience not only demonstrated CIOs' adaptability but also their potential to drive significant change. With the same ingenuity and enterprise mindset, we can lead our agencies toward a climate-resilient future, empowering us to make a real difference. Water is fundamental for any community, government, business or individual. As weather patterns become more erratic and severe, CIOs must adopt an innovative, enterprise mindset that leads to novel approaches to solving water-related challenges. They can start with understanding the most pressing community and constituent needs and working backward to build IT solutions rather than starting with technology to fit constituent needs to help ensure a resilient and prosperous future for all.

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