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Economic Growth & Energy

Governments and other institutions are faced with daunting management tasks in the area of integrated water and coastal resources management (IWCRM). They must provide not only for the citizens of today but also for future citizens. In so doing, they must balance the needs for economic growth and stability with the reality of declining availability and quality of natural resources. To manage realistically and maximize returns while minimizing risks, governments must be able to understand the needs of people, business, and other national and international interests. Governments must also develop and use systems that incorporate mechanisms for eliciting and acting upon citizen and business concerns as well as dealing with political and geopolitical realities. To meet these needs, governments must analyze requirements, develop policies, propose and pass legislation and regulations, and evenhandedly enforce them.

Water is becoming viewed more commonly as a commodity, which can have significant impacts on economic growth, especially when innovative financing is needed to allow the establishment of new or re-fitted infrastructure. Many countries have begun to respond by establishing discharge taxes, as in the Philippines , or other models for finance. All agricultural issues are rooted to some degree in water. Irrigation systems when operated inefficiently, as in Mali and Bangladesh, can rob water from one population while providing insufficient water for crops in another. Mismanagement of coastal resources as in Tanzania and Peru can have negative impacts on food security across a village or a nation. Lack of clean water kills millions of children and other populations at risk every year and is a continuing issue in global health. Installation of well points in villages and providing best management practices about water-related hygiene is an extremely cost-effective way to have a substantial impact on morbidity and mortality. The West Africa Water Initiative (WAWI) is addressing this need. As nations begin to understand the need to more effectively manage their entire water portfolio, democracy and government issues will have potential for playing a greater role. Governments are likely to request assistance in areas ranging from guidance on decentralizing water management to building capacity by gathering, managing, and acting on water resource data.

 

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Integrated Water Resources Management

Integrated Coastal Management

Environment

Economic Growth & Energy

Agriculture & Food Security

Global Health

Democracy & Governance