Abstract
Water resources are, and have always been, a multidimensional resource that crosses all social and economic sectors. Globally, growing population and urbanisation have increased the pressure to meet the water, energy, and food demands of larger populations with higher expectations. As a result, both developed and developing countries seem to be racing against the clock to respond to the needs of societies in which inequalities continue to grow. Water resources are scarcer and more polluted; their management, governance, and development increasingly depend on decisions that are made in other sectors, many times without sufficient coordination; and their availability is more than ever threatened by issues, such as climate variability and change, that impose nothing but uncertainty. These factors have led to water resources being seen through the lenses of risk and security. The security of water resources necessitates a departure from the status quo, to an innovative system that is able to understand and appreciate how different natural, policy, and political variables interact and affect each other. This system requires a wholesome perspective that is able to propose alternatives that consider complexity and that are adaptive to an uncertain future. A departure is necessary because the status quo has proven unable to respond to the present needs and expectations, much less to future ones.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Ait Kadi M, Ziyad A (2018) Integrated water resources management in Morocco. In: Council World Water (ed) Global water security: lessons learnt and long-term implications. Springer, Singapore
Andrews-Speed P, Bleischwitz R, Boersma T, Johnson C, Kemp G, Van Deveer S (2013) The global resources nexus: the struggle for land, energy, food, water and minerals. Transatlantic Academy, Washington, DC
Asian Development Bank (2013) Asian water development outlook—measuring water security in Asia and the Pacific. ADB, Manila
Asian Development Bank (2016) Asian water development outlook 2016: strengthening water security in Asia and the Pacific. Mandaluyong City, Philippines
Biswas AK (2008) Integrated water resources management: is it working? Int J Water Resour Dev 24(1):5–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/07900620701871718
Biswas AK, Tortajada C (2009) Changing global water management landscape. In: Biswas AK, Tortajada C, Izquierdo R (eds) Water management in 2020 and beyond. Springer, Berlin, pp 1–34
Biswas AK, Tortajada C (eds) (2016) Water security, climate change and sustainable development. Springer, Singapore
Bogardi JJ, Dudgeon D, Lawford R, Flinkerbusch E, Meyn A, Pahl-Wostl C, Vielhauer K, Vörösmarty C (2012) Water security for a planet under pressure: interconnected challenges of a changing world call for sustainable solutions. Environ Sustainability 4(1):35–43
Brauch HG, Behera NC, Kameri-Mbote P, Grin J, Oswald Spring Ú, Chourou B, Mesjasz C, Krummenacher H (eds) (2009) Facing global environmental change: environmental, human, energy, food, health and water security concepts. Springer, Berlin
Carrao H, Naumann G, Barbosa P (2016) Mapping global patterns of drought risk: an empirical framework based on sub-national estimates of hazard, exposure and vulnerability. Glob Environ Change 39:108–124
Carrera J, Arroyo V, Mejia A, Rojas F (2018) Water security in Latin America: the urban dimension. Empirical evidence and policy implications from 26 cities. In: World Water Council (ed) Global water security: lessons learnt and long-term implications. Springer, Singapore
Conway D (2013) Water security in a changing climate. In: Lankford BA, Bakker K, Zeitoun M, Conway D (eds) Water security: principles, perspectives and practices. Earthscan, London, pp 80–100
Council of Australian Governments (1994) Communiqué, 25 February 1994, Attachment A: water resource policy. Canberra. http://bit.ly/2he3phu. Accessed 30 Oct 2017
European Commission (2015) Science for environment policy. Future brief: innovation in the European water sector. http://bit.ly/2pgWB12. Accessed 30 Oct 2017
Giordano M, Shah T (2014) From IWRM back to integrated water resources management. Int J Water Resour Dev 30(3):364–376. https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2013.851521
Grafton RQ, Biswas AK, Tortajada C (2017, 24 August) Signing up to safe water for billions. Nature, 548
Grafton RQ, Pittock J, Davis R, Williams J, Fu G, Warburton M, Udall B, McKenzie R, Yu X, Che N, Connell D, Jiang Q, Kompas T, Lynch A, Norris R, Possingham H, Quiggin J (2012) Global insights into water resources, climate change and governance. Nat Clim Change 3:315–321
Grey D, Sadoff CW (2007) Sink or swim? Water security for growth and development. Water Policy 9(6):545–571
Horne J (2018) Water security in Australia. In: Council World Water (ed) Global water security: lessons learnt and long-term implications. Springer, Singapore
Howard J (2006) Transcript of the prime minister the Hon John Howard MP joint press conference with New South Wales premier Morris Lemma, Victorian premier Steve Bracks, South Australian premier Mike Rann and acting Queensland premier Anna Bligh, Parliament House, Canberra, 7 November 2006. http://bit.ly/2zjZV3r. Accessed 30 Oct 2017
Jiang Y (2015) China’s water security: current status, emerging challenges and future prospects. Environ Sci Policy 54:106–125
Kane J (2017) Less water, more risk: exploring national and local water use patterns in the U.S. Metropolitan Policy Program, Washington DC. http://brook.gs/2ic4eEu. Accessed 30 Oct 2017
Klinke A, Renn O (2012) Adaptive and integrative governance on risk and uncertainty. J Risk Res 15(3):273–292
Lund J, Medellín-Azuara J (2018) California: water security from infrastructure, institutions, and the global economy. In: Council World Water (ed) Global water security: lessons learnt and long-term implications. Springer, Singapore
Makin IW, Arriens WL, Prudente N (2014) Assessing water security with appropriate indicators. In: Proceedings from the GWP workshop: assessing water security with appropriate indicators, GWP Technical Committee, Stockholm, Nov 2012
Mejia AR (2012) Water supply and sanitation in Latin America and the Caribbean: goals and sustainable solutions. CAF Banco de Desarrollo de America Latina, Caracas
Milly PCD, Betancourt J, Falkenmark M, Hirsch RM, Kundzewicz ZW, Lettenmaier DP, Stouffer RJ (2008) Stationarity is dead: Whither water management? Science 319:573–574
Ministry of Water Resources (2018) Addressing water challenges and safeguarding water security: China’s thought, action, and practice. In: Council World Water (ed) Global water security: lessons learnt and long-term implications. Springer, Singapore
Muller M (2018) Water security in a Southern African context. In: Council World Water (ed) Global water security: lessons learnt and long-term implications. Springer, Singapore
OECD (2009) Innovation in country risk management. OECD Studies in Risk Management. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris
OECD (2013) Water security for better lives. OECD Studies on Water. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264202405-en. Accessed 30 Oct 2017
Office of the Director of National Intelligence (2012) Global water security: intelligence community assessment. http://bit.ly/2mpyyjU. Accessed 30 Oct 2017
Parliament of Singapore (2016) Parliament No: 13, Session No: 1, Volume No: 94, Sitting No: 22, Sitting Date: 15-08-2016, Title: Supply, Demand and Pricing of Water. http://bit.ly/2iuCHxB. Accessed 30 Oct 2017
Prosser I (2012) Governance to address risks of water shortage, excess and pollution. Paper presented at the OECD Expert Workshop on Water Security: Managing Risks and Trade-offs in Selected River Basins, Paris, 1 June
Reed D (2017) In search of a mission. In: Reed D (ed) Water, security and U.S. foreign policy. WWF and Routledge, New York, pp 3–34
Rüttinger L, Smith D, Stang G, Tänzler D, Vivekananda J (2015) A new climate for peace: taking action on climate and fragility risks. Adelphi, International Alert, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, European Union Institute for Security Studies, Berlin. https://www.newclimateforpeace.org/#report-top. Accessed 29 Oct 2017
Sehring J, Diebold A (2012) From the glaciers to the Aral Sea: water unites. Trescher, Berlin
Souza Filho FA, Formiga-Johnsson RM, Studart TMC, Abicalil MT (2018) From drought to water security: Brazilian experiences and challenges. In: Council World Water (ed) Global water security: lessons learnt and long-term implications. Springer, Singapore
Tardieu E (2018) Global water security: lessons learnt and long-term implications in France. In: Council World Water (ed) Global water security: lessons learnt and long-term implications. Springer, Singapore
Tortajada C (ed) (2016) Increasing resilience to climate variability and change: the role of infrastructure and governance in the context of adaptation. Springer, Singapore
Tortajada C, Joshi Y, Biswas AK (2013) The Singapore water story: sustainable development in an urban city state. Routledge, London
Tortajada C, Kastner MJ, Buurman J, Biswas AK (2017) The California drought: coping responses and resilience building. Environ Sci Policy 78:97–113
Tortajada C, Keulertz M (2016) Future global water, food and energy needs. In: Brauch HG, Spring UO, Grin J, Scheffran J (eds) Handbook on sustainable transition and sustainable peace. Springer, Berlin, pp 657–674
Tortajada C, Wong C (2018) Quest for water security in Singapore. In: Council World Water (ed) Global water security: lessons learnt and long-term implications. Springer, Singapore
Turner BL, Matson PA, McCarthy JJ, Corell RW, Christensen L, Eckley N, Hovelsrud-Broda GK, Kasperson JX, Kasperson RE, Luers A, Martello ML, Mathiesen S, Naylor R, Polsky C, Pulsipher A, Schiller A, Selin H, Tyler N (2013) Illustrating the coupled human-environment system for vulnerability analysis: three case studies. PNAS 100(14):8080–8085
United Nations (2007) Coping with water scarcity: challenge of the twenty-first century. World Water Day 2007
United Nations University (2013) Water security & the global water agenda. A UN-Water analytical brief. United Nations Institute for Water Environment and Health, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Canada
US Geological Survey (n.d.) Trends in water use in the United States, 1950–2010. https://water.usgs.gov/edu/wateruse-trends.html. Accessed 30 Oct 2017
van Beek E, Arriens W (2014) Water security: putting the concept into practice. Global Water Partnership Technical Committee (TEC) Background Paper No. 20
Vörösmarty CJ, McIntyre PB, Gessner MO, Dudgeon D, Prusevich A, Green P, Glidden S, Bunn SE, Sullivan CA, Liermann CR, Davies PM (2010) Global threats to human water security and river biodiversity. Nature 467:555–561
Weaver CP, Lempert RJ, Brown C, Hall JA, Revell D, Sarewitz D (2013) Improving the contribution of climate model information to decision making: the value and demands of robust decision frameworks. Clim Change 4(1):39–60
World Bank (2007) Making the most of scarcity: accountability for better water management results in the Middle East and North Africa. MENA Development Report. World Bank, Washington DC
World Bank (2010) Sustaining water for all in a changing climate. World Bank Group implementation progress report. World Bank, Washington DC
World Bank (2015) A water-secure world for all. Water for development: responding to the challenges. Conference Edition. World Bank, Washington DC
World Bank (2017) Beyond scarcity: water security in the Middle East and North Africa. MENA Development Report. Conference Edition. World Bank, Washington DC
World Meteorological Organization (2012) A note on stationarity and nonstationarity. http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/hwrp/chy/chy14/documents/ms/Stationarity_and_Nonstationarity.pdf. Accessed 30 Oct 2017
Xenarios S, Shenhav R, Abdullaev I, Mastellari A (2018) Current and future challenges of water security in Central Asia. In: Council World Water (ed) Global water security: lessons learnt and long-term implications. Springer, Singapore
Zeitoun M (2011) The global web of national water security. Global Policy 2(3):286–296
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Tortajada, C., Fernandez, V. (2018). Towards Global Water Security: A Departure from the Status Quo?. In: Global Water Security. Water Resources Development and Management. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7913-9_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7913-9_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-7912-2
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-7913-9
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)