Water Resources in the Context of Global Environmental Change: Some Perspectives for Sustainability

Abstract

Conservation and management of water resources quality and quantity in a particular region are one of the great challenges to sustainability. Therefore, it is a very important element in the recognition of urban expansion processes and anthropic pressure on ecosystems associated with regional sustainable environmental planning. In the state of São Paulo, Brazil, an intense process of industrialisation and urbanisation followed the recent expansion of its main east road system, which is located near headwaters and ecosystems of important rivers. In recent years, this area was also faced with an intense shortage of water resources due to a severe drought that the southeast area of Brazil faced, along with the lack of effective water resource management and the definition of economic development projects that take into account environmental preservation and regional sustainability. The main objectives of this study involve the recognition and study of such problems, the involvement of surrounding communities in collective actions that aim to recognize the regional socio-environmental history and to stimulate an awareness of the importance of regional rivers and their conservation and maintenance, aiming to secure for present and future generations the quality of water resources as a priority for the region’s sustainability.