Towards sustainable water resources management: bringing the Strategic Approach up-to-date

In 1998, the European Commission (EC) published Guidelines for Water Resource Development Cooperation entitled “Towards Sustainable Water Resources Management: A Strategic Approach”. The Strategic Approach was a major contribution to translating the international consensus on integrated water resources management (IWRM) into development cooperation activities. The approach and guidance were intended for use by decision-makers in government, the private sector, civil society, and international organisations of all kinds involved in water resources management. At the time, the guidance contained in the Strategic Approach was at the forefront of current thinking and provided a practical means of putting IWRM theory into practice. But since its inception new perspectives and priorities have emerged which need to be considered within the Strategic Approach and guidance given. This paper reviews the Strategic Approach against the IWRM trends and needs that have subsequently developed, and identifies how the approach could be amended to respond to these emerging needs.