Advances in Water Circularity and Sustainable Environmental Engineering

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is dedicated to the themes and innovations presented at the W3CE26: Water, Climate Change and Circular Economy conference. It aims to establish an integrated, operational framework for circular water management as a strategic lever for climate resilience, sustainable development, and territorial transformation.

This Special Issue presents an integrated and operational framework for circular water management as a strategic lever for climate resilience, sustainable development, and territorial transformation. Moving beyond traditional linear approaches—capture, treat, distribute, discharge—this collection emphasizes a systemic, interdisciplinary perspective that links water, energy, food, waste, and climate within the principles of the circular economy.

We seek contributions that combine rigorous scientific analysis, technological innovation, and governance frameworks to offer practical, implementable solutions for managing water resources efficiently and sustainably.

This Special Issue complements existing literature by providing a holistic approach rarely seen in current publications. Unlike works that focus solely on technical solutions, climate impacts, or nature-based methods, it articulates a comprehensive vision connecting science, technology, policy, and territory. By positioning water as a strategic resource and transformative driver, this issue addresses gaps regarding systemic integration and the application of advanced technologies to water circularity.

Ultimately, this collection transforms water challenges into opportunities for sustainability, resilience, and equitable development, serving as a global reference for research, policy, and practice.

1. General Presentation of the Special Issue

1. Focus

This Special Issue focuses on circular water management as a strategic lever for climate resilience, sustainability, and territorial transformation. It adopts an integrated approach connecting water, energy, food, waste, and climate, with emphasis on technological, digital, and territorial innovations.

2. Scope

It covers a broad disciplinary and practical spectrum:

• Scientific and technological aspects: artificial intelligence, IoT, smart sensors, sustainable desalination, and effluent valorization.
• Governance and public policy: regulatory frameworks, green financing, strategic water planning.
• Territorial applications and case studies: semi-arid regions, Africa, and the Mediterranean, with forward-looking scenarios toward 2050.

3. Objective

The goal is to provide an operational and strategic framework enabling researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to design and implement circular water management solutions that simultaneously promote sustainability, resilience, and socio-economic transformation.

2. How This Special Issue Complements Existing Literature

This Special Issue complements and enriches current literature by:

• Integrating multiple dimensions rarely combined in a single publication: digital technologies, industrial innovations, governance, and public policy, with a strong territorial focus.
• Offering a systemic perspective across the Water-Energy-Food nexus, whereas many existing works focus on a single sector or technology.
• Highlighting underrepresented case studies, particularly in Africa and semi-arid regions, providing practical and context-specific examples.
• Bridging theory and practice through actionable tools, indicators, and roadmaps, guiding water transition with data-driven and innovative approaches.
• Positioning water as a strategic driver, not merely as a resource to manage but as a lever for resilience, industrial competitiveness, and ecological transition, offering a prospective and transformative dimension absent from most competing publications.

Prof. Dr. Jie He
Dr. Ali Hebaz
Prof. Dr. Mounia El Haji
Dr. Wen Ma
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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