| Summary: | Human demands on water resources are increasing unsustainably at a time when the effects of climate change on the aquatic environment are worsening and, unfortunately, the world is not on the right track to achieve sustainable water and sanitation management. Water is increasingly demanded to feed growing populations, meet growing energy needs, provide services in expanding urban areas, and meet the needs of industry. To improve water security in the context of growing demand, water scarcity, increasing uncertainty, intensifying extreme weather events and fragmentation challenges, countries will need to strengthen institutional frameworks, manage information and develop infrastructure (both natural and man-made). Institutional instruments such as legal and regulatory frameworks, water pricing and incentives to improve water allocation, regulation and conservation are important. It is also necessary to have information systems for monitoring and tracking this resource, making decisions under uncertainty, conducting network analysis, making forecasts and issuing warnings related to hydrometeorology.
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