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This special issue of World Water Policy focuses on water policy and practice in Africa, specifically addressing the increasing global water use and resulting water scarcity in regions like Central Africa, East Asia, and parts of South America. The document emphasizes the need for new approaches to address these challenges, including the adoption of water-saving irrigation technologies like micro-irrigation. The issue includes papers on state-of-the-art technologies, improving micro-irrigation in practice, and supportive water and agricultural policy and planning frameworks in Africa and beyond. The journal also discusses the policy conflicts surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and highlights the importance of innovative approaches to improve water use efficiency. Overall, this journal provides a comprehensive and informative resource for those interested in water security and policy. [Extracted from the article]

Through the lens of the 12 OECD Principles on Water Governance, this article examines six water resources and water services frameworks in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and South America to understand enhancing and constraining contextual factors. Qualitative and quantitative methods are used to analyze each framework against four criteria: alignment; implementation; on-ground results; and policy impact. Four main target areas are identified for improving water governance: policy coherence; financing; managing trade-offs; and ensuring integrity and transparency by all decision makers and stakeholders. Suggestions are presented to support practical implementation of the principles through better government action and stakeholder involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite huge differences in population, household income and development levels, Australia and Brazil have some temporal convergences in their water governance systems. Over the last 20 years, both countries have significantly reformed their water policies and practices by introducing a legal foundation for more integrated and participatory catchment/basin management based on the best information available. A critical test of any water reform is how effective it is in meeting the challenges of extreme and unpredictable conditions of drought and floods, which are expected to increase under climate changes scenarios. This paper compared the contemporary water governance frameworks of Australia and Brazil in relation to three elements of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM): integration, participation, and information/knowledge. We focused on insights from Brazil's recent drought and Australia's fluctuating water crises to derive lessons and recommendations for future changes. Among the main recommendations, we stress the need for both systems to improve effective participation and to embrace a more comprehensive approach to cope with water scarcity in future scenarios. Furthermore, water related decisions should be based on a transparent and well informed process, and take into account the lessons from similar situations worldwide in order to avoid unnecessary or ineffective measures. As demonstrated in the Australian case during the Millennium Drought, the most effective initiatives were those involving government, the private sector and society to achieve a more sustainable consumption pattern in all sectors. There is much to learn from the Brazilian and Australia experiences in water reforms and crises, but it is imperative to understand the social, economic and environmental context within which these took place. Continuing to develop the capacity and willingness of researchers and policy makers to work together can make an important contribution towards meeting the growing and spreading challenges in water resource management around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented wherein the editor discusses various reports in the issue on topics including the need for collaboration and coordination between the water and energy sectors in urban wastewater management in Lao PDR, how coastal aquifers discharge their subsurface flow into the sea and the causes of nature degradation.

An introduction is presented in which the editors discuss various reports within the issue on topics including the major water issues around the world, water management, and the role of the private sector in managing water problems.

An introduction to the topics discussed within the issue is presented, including one on the water quality risks in the Burl river basin, another one on the water disputes between Punjab and Sindh provinces in Pakistan, and another one on European experiences in managing transboundary flood risk.