Groundwater resources: challenges and future opportunities

Abstract

Ensuring the sustainability and security of groundwater resources requires identification of region-specific challenges and solutions to accommodate water needs in diverse sectors, including ecosystems. They are related to extensive variations in natural conditions (e.g. geology, geomorphology and hydrology), human interventions, and political, cultural and socio-economic realities that need to be considered in working towards sustainable development. To achieve this goal, it is important to understand social transformations and societal drivers, as well as management and governance challenges which hinder effective groundwater management and access. Unlocking the future opportunities of groundwater require to integrate the existing knowledge and emerging tools and techniques to explore the unknown resources, and device governance strategies to improve livelihoods and health, build more resilient water futures, and move towards long-term sustainable and equitable groundwater use.