A Research Agenda for Water Law

Book excerpt: Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. This timely Research Agenda provides imaginative solutions to existing and emerging challenges for the study, application, and development of water law. It argues for a dynamic approach to water law, anticipating how water and its relationship to humanity will shift due to climate change, modern societal norms and values, and technological innovation. Bringing together leading experts and rising new voices, this Research Agenda analyses local, national, and international water law. It explores the pressing issues of today and tomorrow, and identifies areas for further research to ensure legal regimes can respond to future challenges for water provision. Contributors consider the legal personhood of rivers, water quality, international basins, water markets, and the role of indigenous groups in water management. Ultimately, this Research Agenda provides a portfolio of options for responding to the uncertain natural, social, and political future of water. Providing a cutting-edge overview of the challenges facing water law locally, nationally, and internationally, A Research Agenda for Water Law will be a valuable resource for scholars of water law, environmental law, and public international law. It will also be essential reading for policy-makers seeking to build future-facing water law regimes.