Water and Sustainability

<p>The course's overall themes are water in society and water as an ecosystem. </p><p>The themes are covered significantly through a variety of scientific readings and reflection that exemplify different approaches and perspectives for analysing and interpreting present and future water resource availability, the political ecology of water resource challenges, water-related vulnerability and adaptation measures, and uncertainties in climate modelling coupled to freshwater resources.</p><p>Other aspects covered in the course include the multitude of approaches to water, e.g., water as a human right, water as an economic good, and the implications of these approaches for management and use practices. Furthermore, the course presents and discusses ongoing reforms in water resource planning, policies, and laws, focusing on the principles of integrated water resources management (IWRM) and associated techniques, for example, in the EU and the Global South. Several concepts highlighted recently that address the interdisciplinary nature of freshwater including green-blue water; virtual water and water footprint assessment are further discussed.</p><p>Course excursions emphasise regional and local perspectives on water use and management in practice.</p>