Dear Colleagues,

Water is a unique resource that meets the fundamental need of both human being and ecosystems while underpinning the drivers of growth and development. In sharp contrast to its critical importance, water, however, is chronically poorly management with fragmented institution, as manifested by water crisis escalated from an environmental/resource concern up to a grand societal risk, one of the top 5 global risks in terms of impact consecutively identified by the World Economic Forum each year since 2012. On top of that is a changing setting characterized by increasingly uncertain climate and hydrological cycle, population growth and rapid urbanization, and extensive socio-economic development with an ever-increasing impact on water and the environment. How to sustainably and effectively manage water resources represents an unprecedented challenge threatening sustainable development, requiring timely solutions.

This special issue is dedicated to sustainable water management in urban areas, with a particular focus on the economics and governance aspects, the fundamental elements of institution for managing water to achieve security and sustainability in an urbanizing world. It is intended to cover recent development in the focal aspects to demonstrates good practices, share experience and lessons, stimulate discussion and reflection, and thus eventually to promote paradigm shift and transformative change towards sustainable water management in urban areas. It is particularly interested in innovative approaches/tools/solutions available for supporting, operationalizing and delivering sustainable urban water management that is inclusive, resilient and adaptive. It expects to cut across the full spectrum of water development, use and conservation to glean management lessons, identify barriers for transformative change, and inform the global water agenda and initiatives for sustainability.

Dr. Yong Jiang
Prof. Dr. Meine Pieter van Dijk
Guest Editors

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• sustainability
• urban water management
• resilience
• economics
• governance
• adaptation to climate change