Water sustainability in the Anthropocene: challenges and solutions for a changing world

Abstract

Water plays a crucial role in the sustainable development, impacting socio-economic development, environmental health, and human survival. As a common property, effective water management through good governance is essential to accommodate various interests and minimise conflict. The study discussed the global water resources in the era of human domination, highlighting the increasing water scarcity and its implications. It explored the multifaceted roles of water in society, encompassing economic, leisure, political and religious aspects through summarising and analysing the literatures. Results showed that the current global context presents challenges to water availability and quality due to population growth, rising living standards, climate change, and mismanagement. It also acknowledged the recognition of water access as a human right and discussed the progress and remaining challenges in achieving universal access to clean water and sanitation. The paper emphasizes the need for improved water governance to address these challenges and ensure equitable access to water resources. Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) was proposed as the popular solution for interdisciplinary and multi-interest water management to ensure sustainable water use, equitable access, and environmental conservation.