GEF

Unit 1  |  Why Water Matters 33 government agencies make executive decisions about building water infrastructure, allocating water resources, and setting prices. In many parts of the world, this approach has generated a great deal of hardship and conflict—a good example is the long- contested construction of the Belo Monte dam on the Xingu River in northern Brazil. In this case, a decades-long research and permitting process was carried out without the input of local indigenous groups that would be harmed by the dam’s construc- tion, leading to widespread animosity and threats of violence. A more equitable and sustainable approach involves taking into account the needs of all stakeholders in water resources and projects. In this method, water management is not left to experts. Various water needs are balanced among user groups within a particular region. IntegratedWater Resources Management (IWRM) , a forward-thinking process for water management, incorporates stakeholder knowledge and insights from disciplines such as ecology, economics, and political science in making decisions about water allocation and use. In IWRM, sustainability is a key concept, as the approach seeks to maximize social and eco- nomic benefits of water use in a manner that sustains ecological processes. IWRM is also an adaptive practice in which flexibility and innovation are key components. Ideally, all parties that ben- efit from a water resource have a stake in shaping goals, policy, and water management as needs and priorities change. Sustainable water systems require innovative approaches that go far beyond the old ways of managing and using water. Decentralized management, community participation, water conservation, systems thinking, and adaptation to ecosys- tem constraints are just a few examples of emerging ideas about water sustainability. The growing global water crisis is presenting enormous challenges that will require all of these approaches and many more in order to meet the water needs of present and future generations in a way that is in balance with natural systems. STAKEHOLDERS Individuals or groups with a direct interest in a project, such as water management. INTEGRATED WATER RESEARCH MANAGEMENT (IWRM) A coordinated process for sustainably managing water resources among different stakeholders.