As panellist the speaker will shortly overview the current global perspective on freshwater with a view to identify major likely future challenges along with an outline of potential opportunities for solutions. Given the projected demands for water, and the likely impact of climate variability and change, the present water uses are clearly not sustainable.

The big questions are as follows: Are we really dealing with the most important issues? What are indeed the major drivers that will determine how water will be managed two generations from now? In case of transboundary rivers and aquifers, where nearly half of humanity leaves, who calls the shots? How effective international cooperation is? Why do we need that, to start with? Is water management an ethical and cultural issue or simple a matter of engineering by more structures? Isn’t water just a matter of quick technical fixes by applying more technology? Is water a source of conflict or that of cooperation? Some of the potential responses to these questions will be outlined along with an assessment of new relevant global action initiatives of the UN system, notably the SDGs and the central position of water therein related to poverty eradication, food and energy security as well as to public and ecosystems health for it seems that finally, the political recognition is born that freshwater is a major global issue.

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The contribution will attempt to identify future technical, social and ecological challenges that need to be addressed to establish sustainable water development and management practices for the future. It will look into the hydrological impacts of various global change drivers at various scales. Potential impacts of climate change will also be outlined along with the likely increase in the occurrence of extreme events such as floods and droughts. Mitigation and adaptation measures will shortly be outlined with a view to creating resilient water systems.