Addressing Global Water Challenges in 2025: an Integrated Framework for Research, Policy, and Resource Management

Frank A. Ward ()
Additional contact information
Frank A. Ward: New Mexico State University

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), 2025, vol. 39, issue 15, No 2, 7885-7918

Abstract: Abstract Global water systems are under intensifying stress from climate variability, population growth, institutional fragmentation, and deteriorating infrastructure. This paper presents a structured framework addressing twenty of the most pressing water management challenges worldwide, categorized across four domains: irrigation, water supply, water quality, and water governance. For each challenge, it identifies key management issues, policy and research priorities, and regional relevance. Drawing on over 200 peer-reviewed sources as well as original hydro-economic modeling from North America’s Rio Grande Basin, the paper illustrates how institutional innovation—particularly interdistrict and intradistrict water trading—can significantly enhance economic efficiency and adaptive capacity under drought. The model results highlight the superior performance of water markets relative to proportional shortage-sharing rules, demonstrating considerable gains in farm income and resource-use efficiency. More broadly, this paper’s original contribution provides decision-support guidance for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers working at the intersection of hydrology, infrastructure, and governance. By integrating economic analysis with cross-sectoral and regional insights, the paper advances a practical roadmap for building more resilient, equitable, and sustainable water systems in an era of growing uncertainty. Addressing Global Water Challenges in 2025: An Integrated Framework for Research, Policy, and Resource Management.

Keywords: Water governance; Climate adaptation; Water security; Sustainability; Research priorities; Hydrology; Infrastructure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11269-025-04341-0 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:waterr:v:39:y:2025:i:15:d:10.1007_s11269-025-04341-0

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/11269

DOI: 10.1007/s11269-025-04341-0

Access Statistics for this article

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA) is currently edited by G. Tsakiris

More articles in Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA) from Springer, European Water Resources Association (EWRA)
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().