Introduction [Emerging science for sustainable water resource management: a guide for water professionals and practitioners in India]

Chapter 1. “Why must we sustainably manage our
freshwater?” is an easy enough question to
answer when you first consider it: water is
essential for life, we need water for everything
from food, to health, to culture and wellbeing,
and energy. However, according to a UN report
on the progress of the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), we are failing on each
of the six global indicators for SDG 6 – Clean
Water and Sanitation (United Nations 2021).
Every day we hear more bad news about
the state of the planet’s water, ecosystems,
species, and climate. The more challenging
question is, therefore, “how can we sustainably
manage our water?”