Water Economy and Governance in the Age of Urbanization

Abstract

Due to the severe effects of global warming, the earth is confronting various issues, including endangerment of lives. Most importantly, scarcity of water is one those issues confronted. It is not that the world does not have enough water – 70 percent of the planet is covered with water − but as we continue to fail to use available fresh water sources efficiently, we will not be even able to satisfy our survival needs. Water treatment and desalination technologies are coming to the fore, which has also made us consider water economy and the water−energy nexus. This nexus becomes especially crucial when megacities and urban areas are considered. In this issue of IGLUS Quarterly, we have tried to bring new perspectives for the water problem of urban areas and megacities by considering the water−energy nexus.