BALANCING WATER FOR HUMAN AND NATURE: A VISION FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE

Abstract

Water separates our planet from all those we are aware of. While the worldwide supply of available freshwater is more than sufficient to meet all of our water demands, the spatial and temporal distributions of that supply are not. There are many regions where our freshwater resources are inadequate to meet domestic, economic development and environmental needs. In such regions, the lack of adequate clean water to meet human drinking water and sanitation needs is indeed a constraint on human health and productivity and hence on economic development as well as on the maintenance of a clean environment and healthy ecosystems. All of us involved in research must find ways to remove these constraints. We face multiple challenges in doing that, especially given a changing and uncertain future climate, and a rapidly growing population that is driving increased social and economic development, globalization, and urbanization. How best to meet these challenges requires research in all aspects of water management This paper identifies the issues facing water managers today and future research needed to better inform those who strive to create a more sustainable and desirable water future.