Water as Global Social Policy—International Organizations, Resource Scarcity, and Environmental Security

Abstract

Water is an important area of global social policy. This chapter provides historical context for understanding how international organizations developed a distinctly global orientation to water policy alongside the emergence of global hydrology in the mid-twentieth century. Subsequently, international organizations linked concerns over water scarcity to integrated approaches to resource management. As human impacts on the global water system accelerated into the twenty-first century, international organizations influenced the shift from concerns over resource scarcity to those over environmental security. Water security is now central to how international organizations frame and respond to risks affecting interconnected environmental and economic systems.

Evaluating the effectiveness of global governance mechanisms in promoting environmental sustainability and international relations

“…Their influence extends across various dimensions, including policy advocacy, financial support, technical assistance, and the facilitation of international cooperation. This analysis draws upon the comparative study of the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) by Zhu (2023), the exploration of water policy by Schmidt (2021), and the review of international marine environmental governance by Grip (2017), to elucidate the multifaceted roles of IOs in environmental policy-making. The World Bank and UNEP represent two distinct yet complementary approaches to environmental governance.…”

“…The domain of water policy further illustrates the influence of IOs on environmental governance. Schmidt (2021) discusses how international organizations have developed a global orientation towards water policy, linking concerns over water scarcity to integrated approaches to resource management. As human impacts on the global water system have intensified, IOs have shifted their focus from resource scarcity to environmental security, framing water security as a central element of their policy responses.…”

From Scarcity to Abundance: Nature-Based Strategies for Small Communities Experiencing Water Scarcity in West Texas/USA

“…However, the discussion on water demand remains an open topic, primarily approached in the context of real needs and water efficiency [4]. Beyond its tangible aspects, the social construction of water scarcity significantly influences how societies perceive, discuss, and respond to this challenge [5]. The discourse surrounding water scarcity encapsulates the ways in which societies conceptualize and communicate about the availability, distribution, and management of water resources [6].…”