Emerging Paradigms for Water Management in the 21st Century, Lecture Enzo Levi 2000

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to show that water resources management is going through a deep crisis that will be overcome only if a substantial change towards new mental models, new paradigms of water management is produced. An overview of the present water problems in Mexico and worldwide is presented, including global uses, consumption practices and trends. The discussion includes the foreseeable effects on water resources of the global warming as well as some of the ruling principles that, according to the author's point of view, will constitute the base of new thinking models in water management: a global approach to water management, world vision of water and its five ruling conditions, systemic thinking and integrated management. An application of the systemic archetypes to the overexploitation of aquifers is also presented.