Inclusive Co-Governance of Water: Addressing Socio-Ecological Challenges and Sectoral Interdependencies

Water governance is a critical field of research, especially in the context of contemporary socio-economic and environmental challenges. Water is indispensable for the stability and development of nations, and its governance involves complex interdependencies among political, economic, social, and environmental factors. Current issues such as water stress, drought, and desertification are exacerbated by climate change, leading to unstable rainfall patterns and extreme temperatures. These shifts have severe impacts on lives and livelihoods, making effective water governance essential for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite some countries prioritizing progress for those most affected, significant gaps remain in understanding and addressing the multifaceted challenges of water governance. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of co-governance and the need for inclusive, systemic approaches to manage water resources sustainably. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive research on how different socio-ecological contexts influence water supply and security, and how interdependencies between sectors affect water governance.

This research topic aims to investigate and comprehensively understand the co-governance of water in various socio-ecological contexts and its influence on water supply and security. The main objectives include exploring the challenges of interdependencies between different sectors and water security, examining the socio-economic inequalities in water-use efficiency, and understanding the institutional responses to managing water resources. Specific questions to be addressed include: How do climate change and land-use patterns affect water supplies? What are the socio-economic and environmental impacts of these changes? How do power dynamics and stakeholder engagement influence water governance policies?

To gather further insights into the complexities of water governance, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Water-use efficiency across sectors: Focus on socio-economic inequality and the inadequacies in measuring performance that contribute to weak co-governance.
- Water supply and security: Studies on the impact of climate change and land-use patterns on water supplies, food security, and poverty reduction.
- Institutional responses to managing water resources: Research on co-governance issues, including the interaction of water uses, vertical and horizontal structures, stakeholder engagement, and the devolution of power to communities.
- Systemic approaches to inclusiveness in water governance: Examination of how responsible state institutions address underlying issues of water governance, supply, and security.

Keywords: Water governance, Water Supply, Water Security, Governance, Water Resources

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.