Water, Politics and Development: Introducing Water Alternatives

Abstract

"Water’s critical life-sustaining role in ecological functioning, food production, economic activities, health and recreation, and its importance as spiritual value, makes it a resource that traverses both nature and society. Judging from the multiplication of global forums and initiatives, the numerous ongoing water policy reforms, and the spate of related literature, water is high on many countries' policy agendas. That is likely to remain so as diversions of water from streams and extraction of water from groundwater aquifers rise and the disruptions brought by climate change become increasingly manifest."