A major factor contributing to the global water crisis is the widespread failure to implement integrated river basin management. In most cases, conflicts in water usage – whether between sectors in a country, between upstream and downstream riparians or between countries sharing river basins – are not resolved effectively and sustainably. As a result, the continued neglect of water quantity and quality requirements for ecosystems has often led to devastating consequences for human health, natural capital, and aquatic biodiversity.

To better manage the river basins – including rivers and lakes, their watersheds, and freshwater deltas and wetlands – and to protect the ecosystems dependent on them, two core challenges must be overcome in many developing countries. The first is limited or absent scientific knowledge on water quality, quantity, ecology and ecosystem services.  The second is the failure at the policy level to manage river basins in an integrated and holistic fashion. This is, in part, because knowledge at the leadership level of IWRM principles and practices is inadequate.

UNU-INWEH’s programme of work in this thematic area directly addresses these two challenges. The first challenge is addressed through targeted capacity-building efforts. The second is addressed by providing policy and management support based on the existing body of knowledge and information.