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

Chapter 9. The individual chapters of this book have covered a range of water related challenges with a common thread of exploring how emerging science can provide new solutions and support sustainable development. The problems we face in the management of our water resources are complex and diverse. The interconnected nature of the hydrological cycle means that water resources ought not to be looked at on an individual component basis in any particular catchment, basin or region but rather be considered as an integrated whole. Arguably, the need for such a holistic approach to water management is even more critical in countries like India, where hydrological extremes, climate-sensitive environments, rapid land-use change, burgeoning demands for water, and pollution growth are widespread and acute. Although this book has presented the research in separate chapters, it is hoped that, you, the reader, will be able to identify how this new knowledge can be combined and applied to address our shared water challenges.