Using Economics for Sustainability, Effective Management, and Conflict Resolution in Water

Dear Colleagues,

Water, an essential resource for life and development, is under increasing pressure due to climate change, rapid urbanization, and growing economic demand. In this context, economic approaches become fundamental to ensure efficient, sustainable, and equitable management of water resources. Sustainable management of water resources is one of the most pressing global challenges in the context of growing demand, rapid urbanization, and climate change. Water economics provides policy tools to encourage responsible use, efficient allocation, and conflict resolution of water resources. This Special Issue of Water aims to explore the multiple dimensions of water economics, highlighting how economic mechanisms can support sustainable governance, adaptive management, and long-term conservation of water resources.

Topics included in this Special Issue:

1. Water economics and sustainability
-Economic mechanisms for water loss reduction and efficient use.
-Economic strategies for reducing carbon emissions associated with water infrastructure.

2. Adaptive management and resilience
-Using economic models for adaptation to climate variability.
-Solutions for managing hydrological risks such as droughts, floods, and water pollution.

3. Wastewater treatment
-Innovative solutions for reducing environmental impacts and cutting costs.

4. Economic policies and equity in water strategies
-Evaluating the effects of pricing policies on water consumption across domestic, agricultural, and industrial sectors.
-Developing economic mechanisms to promote equitable access to water resources.

5. Nature-based solutions
-The economic efficiency of nature-based solutions for water resource management.
-Conservation of aquatic biodiversity and impact on the local economy.

6. Role of water in economic development
-Analysis of water impacts on sustainable agriculture and industrial value chains.
-Economic valuation of ecosystem services provided by water bodies.

7. Water technologies and innovations
-The role of digitization and smart technologies in monitoring and resource management.
-Blue and green infrastructure for improving ecosystem efficiency.

8. Transport on inland waterways
-Solutions for ensuring economic efficiency in the context of social development and reducing environmental impact.

9. Green economy and blue economy: Synergies for sustainable water resource management
-Impact of blue and green economy integration policies on water resource governance.
-Economic solutions for valuing aquatic ecosystem services.
-Innovations in green and blue infrastructures and their impact on resource sustainability.

10. Conflict resolution
-Economic instruments for resolving disputes over transboundary water resources.
-Strategies for collaboration between economic sectors (agriculture, energy, and industry).

11. Financial innovations for water
-Financing mechanisms for sustainable water infrastructure projects.
-Payments for ecosystem services and other incentive-based economic models.

12. Monitoring and evaluation of water quality and economic impact
-Development of economic models for assessing the costs and benefits of water resource investments.
-Designing economic performance indicators for measuring the sustainability of water projects.

13. International cooperation and governance
-Economic models for transboundary resource governance.
-Study of international agreements for sharing water resources.

14. Water in the OneHealth framework
-The role of water in the broader concept of for a relationship between the human health, animals, and the environment.

15. Water and artificial intelligence
-Applications of AI in water resource management and optimization.
-Predictive analytics for water supply, demand, and risk assessment.

By bringing together theoretical, empirical, and comparative contributions from various disciplines, this Special Issue aims to provide integrated perspectives on the use of economics as an essential tool for sustainability, effective management, and resolution of water conflicts. We invite researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers to contribute studies relevant to this essential interdisciplinary field.

Prof. Dr. Puiu Lucian Georgescu
Prof. Dr. Valentin Marian Antohi
Guest Editors

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• water economics
• sustainability
• water resources governance
• water use efficiency
• nature-based solutions
• blue and green infrastructures
• climate change
• innovative financing for water resources
• transboundary cooperation
• smart technologies
• AI in water management