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.