National

The competition for ground and surface water resources will intensify significantly in the future. Irrigation areas will expand, more biofuel crops will be grown, and hydropower development will surge. So far, only few developing countries and emerging economies have established regulations on the maintenance of environmental flows or modern water allocation approaches in their constitution and water laws (like Australia, Mexico, Spain, and South Africa). New policy trends like the Energy-Water-Food Nexus discussion will certainly contribute to a cross-sectoral dialogue on future water challenges. However, in practical water management terms, it will not solve the challenges ahead unless the different sectors change their procedures and planning frameworks accordingly to reflect the needs and requirements from other sectors. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are now widely accepted to screen infrastructure development projects in many developing countries, but the relevant processes with regard to public participation, transparency, and independency of the assessment are still not adhered to in many countries.