Better water management through more focus on ecological and social sciences (2016–2019)
Abstract:
Current water resources management, focusing on gains of economic efficiency in the short term under the
assumption of steady-state conditions, has generally failed to respond to both catchment environmental
degradation and to the increasing complexity of human¿environment interactions. This project will develop a
new approach to water resources management by relating management practices based on ecological
understanding to the social mechanisms behind these practices at water catchments. It will improve the
predictability and precision of water resources management and increase our ability to maintain our options
for a sustainable future. This will have a profound effect on catchment sustainability, a globally significant
problem.