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Sustainability
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Sustainable Use of Water Resources in Climate Change Impacts
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Sustainable Use of Water Resources in Climate Change Impacts

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1527

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ewa Janson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Water Protection, Central Mining Institute—National Research Institute, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
Interests: water protection; industrial impacts on water resources; climate change impacts on water environments; sustainable water resources management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Łukasz Pierzchała

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Water Protection, Central Mining Institute—National Research Institute, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
Interests: ecosystem services assesment; water managment; post mining area reclamation; enviromantal monitoring

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water resources management is a broad field that encompasses engineering, social science, and even political science. The increase in demand for water in sufficient quantity and high quality is associated with the increasingly rapid development of civilization and technology. Scientific methods of documenting, modeling, and forecasting changes in water resources are known and widely used; however, due to ongoing climate change and significant threats to water resources, it is very important to redefine the forecasting methodologies and, above all, the protection of water resources in the conditions of increasingly serious climatic threats resulting in water shortages.

The aim of the Special Issue is to present novel approaches in the literature on case studies, solutions, and methods of sustainable water management and protection in the conditions of climate change hazards like droughts, water shortages, and related water quality deterioration.

In this Special Issue, ‘Sustainable Use of Water Resources in Climate Change Impacts’, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Solutions of water resources protection in climate change hazards;
  • Drought and water shortages—new technologies for water reuse;
  • Case studies of climate-related negative impacts on surface and groundwaters;
  • New sustainable solutions for water management in climate-related aspects.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Ewa Janson
Dr. Łukasz Pierzchała
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • water resources scarcity
  • climate change
  • reuse of water
  • sustainable water management

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 3754 KiB  
Article
Challenges of Sustainable Water Management in a Heavily Industrialized Urban Basin, Case of Bytomka River, Poland
by Ewa Katarzyn Janson and Adam Hamerla
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 5707; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17135707 - 20 Jun 2025
Viewed by 207
Abstract
Industrial and urban activity has inevitably changed the water environment and caused significant impacts on water resources’ quality and quantity. The identification of related impacts is particularly important in the context of increasing water shortages due to climate change. Overlapping industrial impacts and [...] Read more.
Industrial and urban activity has inevitably changed the water environment and caused significant impacts on water resources’ quality and quantity. The identification of related impacts is particularly important in the context of increasing water shortages due to climate change. Overlapping industrial impacts and drought occurrence have resulted in the long-lasting deterioration of surface water status. Therefore, the mitigation of negative impacts is crucial for relevant and sustainable water management in river basins. One of the most impactful branches of industry is underground coal mining, which requires dewatering deposits and excavations. Mine waters discharged into rivers have induced significant increases of salinity, while urban wastewaters have increased biogenic contamination in surface waters. Sustainable development goals require water protection, energy transition, and circularity; therefore, coal will be repurposed in favor of alternative sources of energy. The phasing out of coal and cessation of dewatering of mines would rapidly reduce mine waters’ impact on the environment. However, in heavily industrialized urban basins, the share of natural waters in river flows is exceptionally low—due to significant and long-lasting transformations, industrial and urban wastewaters are the main constitutive components in certain river hydrological regimes. The case study of Bytomka in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Southern Poland is a vivid example of a river basin significantly impacted by urban and industrial activity over a long-term period. The Bytomka River’s water status and the development of its watershed area is an example of complex and overlapping impacts, wherein sustainable water management requires proper recognition of prevailing factors such as mine water discharges, climate change and drought periods, wastewater impacts, and urbanization of the water basin area. The presented study reveals key findings showing that future coal mine closures would result in significant water resource shortages due to a reduction of mine water discharges, significant biogenic (N and P) pollution increases, and hazards of harmful algal blooms. Therefore, there is an urgent need to increase the retention potential of the watershed, use nature-based solutions, and mitigate negative impacts of the coal mining transition. The increase in treatment capability of industrial wastewater and sewage discharge would help to cope with the natural water vulnerability induced by the impacts of climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Use of Water Resources in Climate Change Impacts)
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21 pages, 1943 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Transboundary Water Governance in Central Asia: Challenges, Conflicts, and Regional Cooperation
by Albina Prniyazova, Suriya Turaeva, Daniyar Turgunov and Ben Jarihani
Sustainability 2025, 17(11), 4968; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17114968 - 28 May 2025
Viewed by 1146
Abstract
Sustainable transboundary water governance in Central Asia faces significant challenges, including political tensions, ecological issues, such as the drying Aral Sea, and seasonal hydropower disruptions impacting downstream countries. This study aims to address these problems by examining the complexities of water resource governance [...] Read more.
Sustainable transboundary water governance in Central Asia faces significant challenges, including political tensions, ecological issues, such as the drying Aral Sea, and seasonal hydropower disruptions impacting downstream countries. This study aims to address these problems by examining the complexities of water resource governance in the region, emphasizing the interplay between national interests and regional cooperation. We analyze how social, economic, environmental, and political factors influence water diplomacy among Central Asian states. Key challenges include water scarcity, climate change impacts and the growing tensions over transboundary river basins, particularly in the Aral Sea basin (i.e., the development of the Kushtepa Canal in Afghanistan). The intricate linkages between water, energy, and agriculture further complicate decision-making processes among riparian nations. While recent diplomatic efforts signal a shift towards enhanced regional cooperation, existing agreements remain fragmented, and a sustainable, long-term governance framework is still lacking. Our findings highlight the importance of an integrated, basin-wide approach to transboundary water management. We argue that a cohesive regional water strategy—grounded in international legal frameworks and supported by collaborative governance mechanisms—can mitigate conflicts and promote water security in Central Asia. The significance of this study lies in its potential to inform policy decisions and promote sustainable practices in transboundary water governance, ultimately contributing to the broader goals of sustainable development and regional cooperation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Use of Water Resources in Climate Change Impacts)
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