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Water Resources Governance for a Sustainable Future
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Water Resources Governance for a Sustainable Future

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 January 2023) | Viewed by 13063

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Abbas Roozbahani

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Water Engineering, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Interests: sustainable water management; hydrological modelling; risk and uncertainty in water resources management; urban water systems; hydroinformatics; agricultural water management; climate change adaptation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water governance refers to determining the equity and efficiency in water resource and service allocation, and balances water use between socio-economic activities and ecosystems. Furthermore, water governance plays a vital role in sustainable development in the developing world. While the concept of sustainable development refers to a link between socioeconomic issues and the environment, the concept of water governance relates to implementing suitable policies for water resources management. In general, governing water includes the establishment and implementation of water policies, legislation and institutions, and clarification of the roles and responsibilities of government, civil society and the private sectors. Despite considerable efforts to improve the coverage of water infrastructure in the past decades, access to high quality and quantity of water resources remains unreliable for many people around the world. Population growth and economic development have increased the water demand globally. Moreover, climate change and natural hazards are intensifying water stress. Therefore, good water governance is a vital component of sustainable water resources management for all countries, especially for developing countries.

This Special Issue aims to publish high-quality studies on water resources governance and its relation with sustainable development. In fact, this issue seeks research papers from various areas including, but not limited to any of the following topics: water governance in surface water and groundwater management, water governance and climate change, water governance models, transboundary water governance, water governance for sustainable development goals, decision-making tools in water management, public–private partnership in water services, water reuse governance, optimizing water allocation, participatory approaches, hydropolitics, sustainable water management for food security, governance regulations and water politics, real case studies on applying sustainable water governance.

Prof. Dr. Abbas Roozbahani
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Water Governance
  • sustainability
  • integrated water resources management
  • water scarcity
  • water politics
  • water reuse
  • climate change
  • socio-economic impact analysis
  • participatory water management
  • agricultural water management
  • urban water management

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2027 KiB  
Article
Complexities and Opportunities of Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships: A Case Study of Water Resource Management in Afghanistan
by Santosh R. Pathak, Neera Shrestha Pradhan, Sadiksha Guragai, Bulbul Baksi, Fayezurahman Azizi and Arun Bhakta Shrestha
Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15496; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su142315496 - 22 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1818
Abstract
Water governance is a sensitive and contentious issue that requires multi-stakeholder participation and judicious use of technology. The new water law in Afghanistan focuses on the participation of stakeholders in water management, equitable water allocation, task division, and decision-making at the sub-basin, basin, [...] Read more.
Water governance is a sensitive and contentious issue that requires multi-stakeholder participation and judicious use of technology. The new water law in Afghanistan focuses on the participation of stakeholders in water management, equitable water allocation, task division, and decision-making at the sub-basin, basin, and national levels. This paper looks at a multi-stakeholder partnership approach aligned with technological solutions designed by ICIMOD to facilitate collaboration for the purpose of addressing the key challenges and exploring opportunities for river basin management in Afghanistan. ICIMOD helped to broker a context-specific partnering approach to strengthen collaboration for water resource management by embedding the principles and frameworks of collaborating in cooperation and strategic partnership with the Partnership Brokers Association, which entails a shift from commitments to engage with stakeholders to codesigning and implementing activities based on partnering principles to achieve the goal of water resource management in Afghanistan. The paper highlights and discusses the various cases of the project that offer reflections on the participatory approach adopted and the value addition that each partner, on the basis of their strengths, brings to the partnership. The paper highlights the positive impacts that multi-stakeholder partnerships can have on overcoming the complex challenges faced in strengthening water resource management in Afghanistan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Resources Governance for a Sustainable Future)
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13 pages, 4877 KiB  
Article
Identification and Diagnosis of Transboundary River Basin Water Management in China and Neighboring Countries
by Lei Wang and Aifeng Lv
Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12360; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141912360 - 28 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2130
Abstract
Numerous studies have demonstrated that a complex distribution of water resources, regional development, and management mechanisms create significant management challenges for transboundary river basins. We utilized diagnostic thinking to examine the water management issues of the 14 main transboundary watersheds in three regions [...] Read more.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that a complex distribution of water resources, regional development, and management mechanisms create significant management challenges for transboundary river basins. We utilized diagnostic thinking to examine the water management issues of the 14 main transboundary watersheds in three regions (Northeast, Northwest, and Southwest) of China. Our four diagnosis points were water quantity, water quality, ecological stability and human health, and cooperation among watershed stakeholders. We found that the watersheds faced varying water management issues. The Indus and Ganges basins have the worst problems, whereas the Tarim basin’s ecological environment is the most vulnerable and the Ob basin is the fittest. Therefore, depending on each basin’s results, we provide practical water management ideas for each. Furthermore, we summarized and classified the geographical settings of each basin and determined the water management issues in each major region in China. Our results provide direction for both new research on and cooperation with transboundary basin water management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Resources Governance for a Sustainable Future)
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18 pages, 1928 KiB  
Article
Water Resources Management in Mexico, Chile and Brazil: Comparative Analysis of Their Progress on SDG 6.5.1 and the Role of Governance
by Clara Tinoco, Natalia Julio, Bruno Meirelles, Raúl Pineda, Ricardo Figueroa, Roberto Urrutia and Óscar Parra
Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 5814; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14105814 - 11 May 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2835
Abstract
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is globally regarded as a suitable alternative to adapt to the effects of Climate Change. Chile, México, and Brazil are developing countries that are highly vulnerable to climate change and have different water management models, thus presenting the [...] Read more.
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is globally regarded as a suitable alternative to adapt to the effects of Climate Change. Chile, México, and Brazil are developing countries that are highly vulnerable to climate change and have different water management models, thus presenting the strengths and challenges for IWRM compliance. Our analysis aims to compare advances in terms of the achievement of SDG 6.5.1 in these countries, in relation to the degree of implementation of IWRM and their correlation to the OECD principles on Water Governance. We used IWRM Data Portal, UNEP-DHI, including 33 indicators, and we used the proposal of Bertule et al., (2018) to analyze the relationship among IWRM and governance. Our findings indicate that the Chilean model has low social involvement in water management due to a market-based water governance system with weak state regulation and lack of legal instruments to implement watershed management programs. In Mexico and Brazil, there is greater citizen involvement in watershed organizations, and ecosystems and aquifers have been incorporated to aid with water management. These three countries show a low performance of gender indicators, deficient financing, and information in terms of decision-making, and a lack of effective mechanisms for social participation, which are key aspects of governance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Resources Governance for a Sustainable Future)
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27 pages, 4280 KiB  
Article
Local Spatial Plans in Supporting Sustainable Water Resources Management: Case Study from Warsaw Agglomeration—Kampinos National Park Vicinity
by Krystyna Solarek and Marta Kubasińska
Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 5766; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14105766 - 10 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1466
Abstract
The crisis resulting from progressive climate change is reflected in increasingly violent problems with periodic excesses and shortages of water. Integrated water management has thus become a necessity and it depends, inter alia, on the effectiveness of the adopted strategies, policies and individual [...] Read more.
The crisis resulting from progressive climate change is reflected in increasingly violent problems with periodic excesses and shortages of water. Integrated water management has thus become a necessity and it depends, inter alia, on the effectiveness of the adopted strategies, policies and individual investments. In many countries, including Poland, the implementation of this postulate is slow. The importance of local spatial plans, which are a tool that directly translates adopted policies into spatial development, is underestimated. The article presents studies of the provisions of planning documents with particular emphasis on the local spatial plans regulations in terms of considering the issue of water management. Some municipalities in the Warsaw agglomeration were selected for the detailed research, as the areas characterized by various water conditions. Local spatial plans adopted for this territory were compared to model planning acts from other regions of Europe. The conclusions include recommendations for local spatial plans and a method for assessing planning documents regarding the scope of the sustainable water management arrangements. The study results indicate that the principles of integrated water management have not been fully incorporated into the existing plans in Poland and that national and regional policies are poorly translated into real management planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Resources Governance for a Sustainable Future)
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18 pages, 5724 KiB  
Article
Multi-Level Prioritization Analysis of Water Governance Components to Improve Agricultural Water-Saving Policy: A Case Study from Korea
by Seul-gi Lee, Bashir Adelodun, Mirza Junaid Ahmad and Kyung Sook Choi
Sustainability 2022, 14(6), 3248; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14063248 - 10 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1794
Abstract
The challenge of unstainable agricultural water usage in Korea has continued interminably despite persisting climate change impacts; thus, necessitating urgent actions to forestall future water crises. However, achieving this goal requires the involvement of stakeholders to develop an effective governance policy concerning water [...] Read more.
The challenge of unstainable agricultural water usage in Korea has continued interminably despite persisting climate change impacts; thus, necessitating urgent actions to forestall future water crises. However, achieving this goal requires the involvement of stakeholders to develop an effective governance policy concerning water saving. This study investigates the components of water governance following existing water policy gaps. A multi-level Delphi-AHP technique was used to identify and prioritize the essential components of agricultural water governance that can specifically enhance water-saving policy in Korea. The analysis of twenty-nine formulated components (six main and twenty-three sub-components) based on the OECD water policy gaps was conducted. A Delphi-AHP technique with process evaluation of the agricultural water experts’ opinions under pairwise comparisons was used to arrive at the relative order of importance of the components. The order of main components based on the consolidated weight follows core actors (0.316), law, policies, and systems (0.069), budget support (0.135), information sharing and communication (0.099), mutual learning (0.142), and external experts (0.239), while village representatives (0.353), legislation (0.358), central government (0.311), policy committee (0.309), education course (0.374), and facilitator (0.402) were considered as priorities, respectively, for the sub-components of water governance. The findings indicate that strengthening the informal institution could address the water governance gaps in the agricultural sector to achieve water-saving policies. This study recommends a bottom-up approach to water governance that could promote the active participation of core actors such as farmers and villagers in the design of policy and management of agricultural water resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Resources Governance for a Sustainable Future)
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25 pages, 4764 KiB  
Article
Basin-Scale Approach to Integration of Agro- and Hydroecological Monitoring for Sustainable Environmental Management: A Case Study of Belgorod Oblast, European Russia
by Zhanna Buryak, Fedor Lisetskii, Artyom Gusarov, Anastasiya Narozhnyaya and Mikhail Kitov
Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 927; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14020927 - 14 Jan 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2081
Abstract
The quantitative and qualitative depletion of water resources (both surface and groundwater) is closely related to the need to protect soils against degradation, rationalization of land use, and regulation of surface water runoff within the watershed area. Belgorod Oblast (27,100 km2), [...] Read more.
The quantitative and qualitative depletion of water resources (both surface and groundwater) is closely related to the need to protect soils against degradation, rationalization of land use, and regulation of surface water runoff within the watershed area. Belgorod Oblast (27,100 km2), one of the administrative regions of European Russia, was chosen as the study area. It is characterized by a high activity of soil erosion (the share of eroded soils is about 48% of the total area of arable land). The development phase of the River Basin Environmental Management Projects (217 river basins from the fourth to seventh order) allowed for the proceeding of the development of an integrated monitoring system for river systems and river basin systems. The methods used to establish a geoecological network for regional monitoring include the selection and application of GIS techniques to quantify the main indicators of ecological state and predisposition of river basins to soil erosion (the share of cropland and forestland, the share of the south-oriented slopes, soil erodibility, Slope Length and Steepness (LS) factor, erosion index of precipitation, and the river network density) and the method of a hierarchical classification of cluster analysis for the grouping of river basins. An approach considering the typology of river basins is also used to expand the regional network of hydrological gauging stations to rationalize the national hydrological monitoring network. By establishing 16 additional gauging stations on rivers from the fourth to seventh order, this approach allows for an increase in the area of hydro-agroecological monitoring by 1.26 times (i.e., up to 77.5% of the total area of Belgorod Oblast). Some integrated indicators of agroecological (on the watershed surface) and hydroecological (in river water flow) monitoring are proposed to improve basin environmental management projects. Six-year monitoring showed the effectiveness of water quality control measures on an example of a decrease in the concentrations of five major pollutants in river waters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Resources Governance for a Sustainable Future)
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