The fallacy of the water "sector" in water resources management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Herron
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Safety Zone ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Support Programme ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Water Community

Water resources are central to the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals, and should be viewed as a crosscutting connector - not a sector. The water community should do more to get outside its safety zone and work with all water-related sectors. The SDG 6 IWRM Support Programme is assisting countries to use water as a connector between their SDG targets.

scholarly journals Monitoring Water Resources Governance Progress Globally: Experiences from Monitoring SDG Indicator 6.5.1 on Integrated Water Resources Management Implementation

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maija Bertule ◽  
Paul Glennie ◽  
Peter Koefoed Bjørnsen ◽  
Gareth James Lloyd ◽  
Marianne Kjellen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
Integrated Water Resources Management ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Environmental Objectives ◽  
Governance Practices ◽  
Development Goals

Improved water resources governance supports important social, economic, and environmental objectives. The 2030 Agenda recognizes improved water governance to be critical for achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and commits to monitor the progress of implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM). This paper critically reviews the approach to monitoring SDG indicator 6.5.1 on implementation of IWRM. Firstly, the paper places the indicator monitoring within the context of other initiatives to measure water governance. Secondly, it analyzes experiences of application of the SDG indicator 6.5.1 methodology to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the indicator and presents the key findings of the 2017/2018 global baseline assessment of IWRM implementation. Baseline reporting shows that degree of IWRM implementation globally is 49%, though country scores range from 10 to 100%. Disaggregating the data by country and by aspect of water resources governance provides a diagnostic tool to identify areas of high and low progress, and, therefore, where increased resources and attention are required. The article concludes by suggesting how the next iteration of SDG indicator 6.5.1 monitoring cycle can be made into a tool for advancing the IWRM implementation and improved governance practices on the ground. It also proposes how the methodology can be strengthened to address current limitations, including aspects relating to integrity, accountability and transparency.

Assessment of Local Water Resources for Sustainable Development Goals

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Homero Castanier
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Integrated Water Resources Management ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Development Goals

<p>Based on the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – Targets - Indicators 2016-2030, the objective of this paper is to emphasize on water resources as a cross-cutting issue and at the center of sustainable development, presenting a specific analysis of the importance of a better knowledge of the hydrology - hydrometrics of country major and local basins as fundamental information for water resources sustainable management. This implies the review of specific indicators related to the knowledge at town level of water resources assessment and availability, fundamental to life, health, food security, energy, the environment, and human well-being.</p><p>There are limitations including the lack of accurate and complete data. Local sub-national variation in water resources and water withdrawal could be considerable, as at the level of local or individual river basins, and the lack of account of seasonal variations in water resources. Regional values may mask huge differences within regions and also within countries where people live in areas of serious water scarcity, although each country could have enough renewable water resources overall.</p><p>In order to ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity, and to implement integrated water resources management at all levels (targets 6.4 and 6.5 of the SDGs), a fundamental baseline is the assessment of available and exploitable water resources at local level, as well as its development feasibility. </p><p>Data on water resources availability is a key indicator that should be approached at local level, since in a majority of countries, i) most local and rural communities and towns do not count with the information regarding their water resources, ii) local information will contribute to improve the accuracy of information of renewable water resources at country level, iii) rural settlements are in general the most vulnerable, lacking services of drinking water and irrigation for food security, and iv) small variations on the estimations of available water resources would represent social, environmental and economic consequences on water resources management and sustainable development planning.</p><p>Based on the analysis of the ecohydrology of two case studies, it is demonstrated that there cannot be effective integrated water resources management (IWRM) at town level if there is a lack of information on water resources availability.</p><p>Considering the limitations described in regard to goals-targets-indicators of sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity, and the implementation of integrated water resources management, it is indispensable to count with adequate and reliable local hydrological - hydrometric data and monitoring systems that would contribute to partially control these limitations, assessing available water supplies for community planning.</p><p>In reference to Agenda 2030, countries must implement a complementary indicator, as the percentage of the population whose water sources are monitored by means of adequate measuring methods, providing information on surface water and ground water regimes that influence water availability.</p>

Monitoring water availability by a multi level model to address water scarcity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Homero Castanier
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Development Goals

<div> <div> <p>In the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – Targets - Indicators 2016-2030, the objective of this paper is to address the limitations of SDG 6 “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”, designing a model that could better approach especially target 6.4 Water use and scarcity, and among its indicators 6.4.1 Change in water use efficiency over time, and 6.4.2 “Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources”, considering as well the importance of the close linkages to target 6.5 Water resources management and indicator 6.5.1 Degree of integrated water resources management implementation (0-100).</p> <p> </p> <p>Data on water resources availability and demand is a key indicator that should be approached at subnational or at main basins levels and at local level, since at a global scale, this information is not known for most local and rural communities and towns, which are vulnerable and lack of services of drinking water and irrigation for food security.[1]</p> <p> </p> <p>In relation to indicator 6.4.2 (Level of water stress), it implies monitoring water resources assessment and availability, fundamental to life, health, food security, energy, the environment, and human well-being. However there are distortions of the indicator from national to local levels that may have different values, as i) high differences in the values of water stress between basins, and ii) towns suffer from water stress at different degrees.</p> <p> </p> <p>As in the case of Ecuador in South America, with 6.24% of water stress (2017), a very low value that indicates that “water does not represent a particular challenge or limiting factor for economic development and sustainability”[2], which does not reflect the actual situation of cities and towns representing an estimate of 50% (or an estimate of 8.5 million inhabitants) of the country´s population affected by water scarcity. Neither the different hydric potentials of the country[3], between the Pacific Basin with 5200 m3/year/inhab and the Amazon Basin with 82900 m3/year/inhab.</p> <p> </p> <p>To control these distortions on the indicator, fundamental for sustainable development, the model approaches hydrological - hydrometric data from national or regional level to cities and towns levels, that would help countries with fundamental data translated in the incorporation of a complementary indicator, as the percentage of the population, whose water sources are monitored by means of adequate measuring methods, providing information on surface water and ground water regimes that influence water availability.</p> <p>  </p> <p>The model contributes to assure the information on actual water availability to control water stress at all levels, from local to subnational or basin, and to national and regional levels.</p> <div><br><div> <p>[1] Castanier, H. (2020). Assessment of Local Water Resources for Sustainable Development Goals. EGU General Assembly 2020. doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-899.</p> <p> </p> </div> <div> <p>[2] Biancalani, R., Frenken, K. (2016). Monitoring of SDG target 6.4. FAO.</p> <p> </p> </div> <div> <p>[3] Total renewable freshwater resources – TRWR, as the long-term average annual flow of rivers and recharge of groundwater measured as a volumetric unit.</p> </div> </div> <p> </p> </div> </div>

scholarly journals Water Resources Development in Nepal: Myths and Realities

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 22-29
Author(s):  
Surya Nath Upadhyay ◽  
Prakash Gaudel
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Water Resources Development ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Energy And Environment ◽  
Societal Welfare ◽  
Resources Development

Despite the ‘immense’ water resources available, Nepal has not been able to transform this abundance of water resources into desired economic growth and societal welfare. This paper attempts to analyze the reasons for such incessant challenges that loom over water resources development in Nepal. This paper finds that it is not the resource that limits the development of water resources, but the approaches and wishes that are framed on the foundation of persistent myths. Analyzing those myths, this paper highlights the realities in water resources management of Nepal, and suggests that without dismantling the existing myths, the sustainable development of water resources seems limited.HYDRO Nepal JournalJournal of Water, Energy and Environment Issue: 23Year: 2018

scholarly journals A GIS-MCDA-Based Suitability Analysis for Meeting Targets 6.3 and 6.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4153
Author(s):  
Angeliki Mentzafou ◽  
Momčilo Blagojević ◽  
Elias Dimitriou
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Input Data ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Water Quality Monitoring ◽  
Quality Monitoring ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Goals

Among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established in the 2030 Agenda, goals 6.3, regarding clean water and improve of water quality, and 6.5, regarding integrated water resources management, highlight the need for the implementation of successful environmental water quality monitoring programs of transboundary river waterbodies. In the present study, the designation of high priority areas for water quality monitoring of Drin transboundary watershed is performed using a suitability model, a GIS-based multicriteria decision analysis (GIS-MCDA) approach that takes into consideration the most important conditioning factors that impose pressures on rivers. Based on the results, the methodological approach used manages to sufficiently delimit the areas with increased need for water quality monitoring in the Drin watershed, and the validation procedure produces a correlation coefficient of 0.454 (statistically significant at a 0.01 level). Limitations arise in the case of a lack of detailed information or inaccurate input data and due to the inconsistency among the input data and the different methodological approaches regarding the information collection of each country involved. These restrictions foreground the need for cooperation between the countries involved regarding the exchange of scientific knowledge and common legislation, so as to achieve integrated, effective, and sustainable management of water resources of the area.

scholarly journals Water resources management in Kazakhstan in conditions of their shortage

2021 ◽  
Vol 937 (3) ◽  
pp. 032012
Author(s):  
Z Yessymkhanova ◽  
Sh Niyazbekova ◽  
Zh Dauletkhanova ◽  
D Satenova ◽  
S Zhumasseitova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Environmental Technologies ◽  
Effective Water

Abstract The current situation in the water sector of Kazakhstan is one of the important problems in the country’s environmental protection system. One of the priorities of the sustainable development policy is to ensure the well-being of the population, the introduction of environmental technologies, the creation of environmentally friendly water resources, providing the regions of the country with clean water, and much more. Important changes have taken place in the country’s water sector, and positive dynamics are beginning to be determined not only by intentions, but also by real actions aimed at improving the quality of fresh water and the entire water fund. The purpose of this article is to identify the problems of effective water use and renewal of water resources and the features of the transition to sustainable development of Kazakhstan’s economies in the context of globalization. In the context of globalization, the nature of the correlation between water management and the strategic directions of water resources management in the country is radically changing.

scholarly journals La sostenibilidad del concepto de Desarrollo Sostenible. ¿Cómo hacerlo operativo?

UDA AKADEM ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 184-202
Author(s):  
Juan Diego Tapia-Sisalim
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Management Indicators ◽  
Development Goals

Los desafíos del Antropoceno generan presiones por la planificación, fomento y aplicación de innovadores cambios económicos, éticos, políticos y sociales. La propuesta del Desarrollo Sostenible, a pesar de insistir en un crecimiento económico ilimitado con fundamento en la teoría capitalista, y, de su enfoque antropocéntrico, a través de la Agenda 2030 y sus Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) se ha establecido como el punto de referencia para el desarrollo global futuro. No obstante, las críticas al concepto y su operatividad son varias. El presente ensayo ofrece una reflexión crítica de este concepto y de su propia sostenibilidad y, a partir de ella, con relación a los ODS y su interconexión con la gestión integrada de recursos hídricos (GIRH), se discute de manera descriptiva la forma de hacerlo operativo a través del análisis con indicadores de gestión. Enfoques holísticos y complejos son comunes entre Desarrollo Sostenible y GIRH, por lo que sus dinámicas y abordajes hacia la operatividad en el ámbito de la sostenibilidad, también podrían serlo.Palabras Clave: Antropoceno, Desarrollo Sostenible, Economía Política, Naturaleza, Recursos Hídricos. AbstractThe challenges of the Anthropocene generate pressures for the planning, promotion and application of pioneering economic, ethical, political and social changes. The Sustainable Development proposal, despite persist on unlimited economic growth based on capitalist theory, and, of its anthropocentric viewpoint, through the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been established as the point of reference for future global development. Nevertheless, there are several criticisms of the concept and its operability. This essay offers a critical reflection of this concept and of its own sustainability, and based on it, in relation to the SDGs and their interconnection with the integrated management of water resources (IWRM), the way to make it operational is discussed in a descriptive way through the analysis with management indicators. Holistic and complex outlooks are common between Sustainable Development and IWRM, so their dynamics and approaches to operability in the field of sustainability could also be. Keywords: Anthropocene, Sustainable Development, Political Economy, Nature, Water Resources  

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