Groundwater: Measures for Sustainable Use of a Contested Resource

How can authorities and water utilities develop sustainable measures for protecting and utilizing groundwater when many framework conditions are uncertain? This question is central in the context of climate change, increasing demands for water use, and growing awareness of environmental issues.

Fanny and Linda talk about groundwater as a vital resource in the “Transforming Economies Blog” and suggest ways forward for sustainable management. Achieving sustainable management requires creativity, collaboration, and a willingness to embrace and address uncertainties. Sustainable groundwater management is achievable – but only through cooperation. The challenges are too complex to be resolved with technical expertise and innovation alone.

Knowledge exchange, cooperation, and dealing with diverse perspectives are critical. At the federal level, the national water strategy provides a framework for integrating knowledge into broad regulatory practices. Transdisciplinary approaches from our research in ‘regulate’ could serve as an example to demonstrate how effective knowledge integration can work in practice.