5. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in a Changing World

Integrated water resources management (IWRM) is an approach enjoying wide international acceptance and is considered a contribution to sustainable development. The governments of the vast majority of countries are in the process of implementing it or preparing to do so with the support of intergovernmental organizations and of numerous NGOs. However, the vision of what IWRM comprises and where it leads might not be clear to stakeholders and practitioners. This chapter reviews the concepts and evolution of IWRM; it points out that the historical and even the formal precursors go farther back than described in usual treatises on the matter. The chapter focuses on the related intergovernmental processes, primarily those in the UN system, as they have proved of fundamental importance in lending thrust to IWRM. It examines the principles and definitions of IWRM and points out that the IWRM platform is considered by many authors and practitioners not a blueprint, but more of a guide or philosophy that has to be adapted to the particular settings and needs – that is, IWRM could be a normative guide but not an implementation plan. The status of the adoption and application of IWRM at an international scale is examined, and the most common objections to IWRM are noted and discussed. The practical utility of IWRM as a provider of a common platform for discussing water resources management issues and sharing experiences is noted.