The Adaptiveness of IWRM - Analysing European IWRM research

Current challenges faced in water management are inherent in the variability and changing nature of water supplies as a result of climate change, along with the limited nature of scientific information and technical knowledge. Water management, based on the concept of IWRM, fails to satisfactorily deal with the problems it is facing and a more adaptive approach towards water management is needed.

To test if advances in European research on Integrated Water Resources Management are sufficient to perform under a situation of complexity and uncertainty, a review was conducted that covered a wide range of EU research projects. This review took off from the notion that an adaptive approach was needed, and assessed whether the available results from research accounts for the need to deal with complexity and uncertainty. The review focused on the following topics:

The achievements of the selected EU research projects were considered in view of how IWRM responds to the complexity and uncertainty in water management. These achievements were positioned in a wider context of worldwide developments in the respective topics that would account for the future challenges. From this review, conclusions were drawn on the necessary focus of EU research in the near future. The concept of Adaptive Water Management is promoted as the preferred direction towards which IWRM should develop.

The book

The results of the review are collected in a book. The book explains IWRM and the need for adaptive approaches in detail. The respective chapters of the book describe the reviews of the abovementioned topics. The book thus portrays the topics relative to their adaptiveness.

The book provides a scientifically sound overview of the state of the art in research on the selected topics in a language that is understandable for a wide, interested audience. The book also presents insights into the expected and preferred developments in research in different scientific disciplines. It is therefore a solid reference base for a wide audience to understand the most recent developments in water management as well as gives directions for relevant research areas.

The Adaptiveness of IWRM; Analysing European IWRM research

• IWA Publishing, London UK

• Publication Date: April 2008

• ISBN: 1843391724

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