A long term approach to water
Water is essential to people, the economy, and the environment. More than ever, people across the UK are aware of the challenges facing water quality, water resilience, and the systems which rely on effective water management.
In the long-term, the only sustainable future for water is to work with the water cycle, minimising human impacts on ecosystems without compromising on clean and plentiful water across the country.
As part of our recommendations to the UK Government for 2024-2029, the IES published this chapter on 'a long term approach to clean and sustainable water', which sets out recommendations on policy affecting water.
Our recommendations for the UK Government
- Adopt a long-term approach to water that acknowledges humans as part of the water system, prioritising strategic network solutions that work with nature.
- End the crisis for water quality by tackling all sources of pollution, providing healthy rivers and bodies of water for communities and the natural environment.
- Integrate the UK’s approaches to water and climate change, providing water security and flood resilience, while maximising benefits for communities and our natural world.
- Modernise the Government’s approach to evidence through purpose-built standards and indicators for water, supported by clear guidance for Ministers and delivery organisations.
- Deliver sustainable water resource management at the catchment scale, developing necessary infrastructure with transparent, reasonable and actionable plans for implementation.
Find out more
Read our recommendations for other fields of environmental science in 'Our Shared Mission for Sustainable Wellbeing'.
To find out more about the topic, you can read our briefing on the latest developments in water policy. To support the development of interdisciplinary solutions to water challenges, sign up to the Foundation for Water Research (FWR) mailing list.
If you want to support the work of the IES, you can become an affiliate, or if you’re a professional in the environmental sector working with science, consider joining the IES.
Header image credit: © Dene' Miles | Adobe Stock
