Hydro-Governance Studies
The 21st century will be characterized by water-related conflict and the need for good water governance. With the global population expected to reach nine billion by 2050, chronic water shortages in the face of growing economic demands will increasingly lead to tensions at all levels of societies. In light of this, the sustainable management of water resources has acquired a new urgency. The challenge for the 21st century leaders is how to mitigate conflict through adequate water governance and diplomacy.
Through its Hydro-Governance Studies initiative, Bright Blue Alliance, in cooperation with its partners, seeks to explore the complexity of water conflict from a holistic perspective. Our focus on water governance is threefold:
- Developing insight into the roles of government, civil society and the private sector and their responsibilities regarding ownership, management and administration of water resources and services.
- Advancing a dialogue about integrated water management approaches and the need to balance water use between socio-economic activities and ecosystems.
- Providing the tools for the formulation, establishment and implementation of water policies, legislation and institutions.
We partner to study this topic with the Pax Ludens Foundation, based in the Netherlands. Together we develop innovative training programmes and curricula which focus on providing practitioners, from the water sector, as well as students, with the tools to understand the complexity of water governance. Amongst others, our toolbox consists of Foresight, Simulation and Stakeholder analysis exercises.
