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Connecting science and policy in addressing local, regional and international water scarcity and water quality challenges
While much attention has been given to water quality and water scarcity as individual issues within a disciplinary framework, a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to investigating and addressing these issues, especially the nexus between them and policy, is much less apparent. Water quality and water scarcity have been limiting factors for local and national economies, as well as to the proper functioning of our ecosystems. These factors, individually and jointly, have multiplier effects that can exceed our current understanding and research capacity; consequently, our ability to manage and allocate water in a manner that serves society's needs to its fullest extent is still challenged.
Established in December 2008, the overarching objective of the Water Science and Policy Center (WSPC) is to create an environment that is conducive to relevant research on critical issues related to the interactions between water policy, water quality and water scarcity. In addition to high quality research output, the WSPC will contribute policy-relevant input to dialogues at the local, regional, national and international levels.
The WSPC will pay attention to the relationships between water and soil, air, land and ecosystem resources, and will encourage research that (i) increases our understanding of such relationships and/or (ii) provides a comprehensive analytical framework stressing management and/or policy implications.
