The new report, Sociocultural Dimensions in Water Resources Management: Policies, Practices, and Challenges, aims to promote the importance of incorporating sociocultural dimensions in water resources management, an underexplored aspect for achieving water security and climate resilience. 

The report proposes four key policy highlights. First, policy makers should incorporate sociocultural aspects into technical and economic frameworks for comprehensive management. Second, policy makers should emphasize local decision making to enhance governance through active community participation. Third, merging indigenous knowledge and traditional practices with modern technology is crucial for enhancing climate resilience, as it underscores their significant environmental benefits. Last, it is essential to advocate for the preservation and transfer of traditional knowledge across generations. The policy messages in this edited volume were particularly relevant policy makers who attended the World Water Forum 2024 in Bali, Indonesia.

During the event, Mikio Ishiwatari (Japan Water Forum) introduced the key messages from the edited report. Authors of selected chapters also conveyed key messages to the audience. Panel discussions with presenters and participants were chaired by Taikan Oki (University of Tokyo). The event was opened by remarks from ADBI’s Vice-Chair of Research, Dil Rahut, with closing remarks shared by Firdaus Ali (Ministry of Public Works and Housing, Indonesia) and Kotaro Takemura (Japan Water Forum).