Nachhaltige Wasser-wirtschaft in Deutschland

Sustainability - the buzzword of the 90s? Which speech by a politician, which press release from an association, and which discourse by a social scientist can still do without the term? Nevertheless, the term is associated with more than just a trend: it represents a serious attempt by various sectors of politics, business, and society to steer current economic, social, and ecological developments onto new, sustainable paths. Few areas are as crucial as water management, as both humans and nature cannot exist without water. Additionally, few areas offer as many entry points and opportunities to realize the concept of sustainability. There is no shortage of efforts to address the challenges of sustainable water management. The topic is at the center of a debate conducted both nationally and internationally. Despite this debate, a number of questions remain unanswered. There is neither clarity on all the details of the goal nor on the path to achieve it. Nevertheless, there is general agreement that future water management must be oriented towards the principle of sustainability. This has already found initial expression in a key document, the preamble of the planned Water Framework Directive of the European Union: A common water policy requires a transparent, efficient, and coherent legal framework. This directive will establish such a framework and will long-term develop the fundamental principles and structures for the sustainable use of water bodies within the community.