A systems analysis approach to addressing contemporary water challenges: Management improvements in Brazil and beyond

Abstract

Development of water resources and socio-economic development heavily depend on each other. Thus, environmental issues started to appear more prominently in the economics debate worldwide in the 1950s. In this era, the main objective was to maximise economic returns from the water resources. However, effective coordination of water considers factors beyond economics such as political, social and ecological dynamics in complex interactions between stakeholders to prevent present and future conflicts related to water. The systems analysis (SA) models have emerged in response to this need and allowed for a holistic approach to address a variety of water management issues from regional planning and river basin management to water quality, flooding and draught management, and sectorial water allocation. The goal of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive introduction to the systems analysis (SA) modelling approach in water management and the evolution of the SA models as decision support tools since the 1950s in response to contemporary water challenges. Following a brief conceptualisation, an extensive literature review showcases the major methodological trajectory and practical contributions of the field. The potential of SA research to provide policy-relevant solutions to major water-related problems in the Global South, focusing on the case of Brazil, is further discussed in the conclusion sections.