Water resources east: An integrated water resource management exemplar

Abstract

Water Resources East (WRE) is a 180 strong and growing membership organisation established in 2014 to learn from international best practice on how to develop a more collaborative approach to water resource management planning to the 2050s and beyond. This is happening now in a unique region of England under significant pressure due to population growth, economic ambition, the need for enhanced environmental protection, and significant climate change impacts. The lesson of this chapter is the power of multi-sector water resource planning through collaborative and adaptable mechanisms led by integrated water resource management (IWRM). Through using active project case studies to gain insight into how we work with our members: Future Fenland Adaptation; Regional Natural Capital Planning through Systematic Conservation Planning (Water Resources East is teaming up with Biodiversify and WWF-UK, with financial support from the Coca-Cola Foundation, to develop a natural capital plan for Eastern England through Systematic Conservation Planning); and exploration of multi-sector finance of nature-based solutions through the creation of Water Funds, we hope to provide a strong evidence base for our sustainable and resilient methodologies and approaches that can be used, or be an influence on, other water management systems globally. Lastly, the WRE team and longest standing contributors reflect on lessons and recommendations from the past seven years of work.