Is groundwater a local and global resource? New sustainability ideas and tools across scales

Abstract:

Groundwater resources are the most reliable source of freshwater on the planet, so long as they are sustainably managed. While serious groundwater depletion and contamination are well documented in several regions around the world, other regions have the potential to leverage under-developed groundwater resources to fuel local human development. Here, I argue for the importance of global perspectives in groundwater governance and management, introduce a recent global groundwater sustainability initiative, and highlight research on new tools for protecting environmental flows from local groundwater pumping.