Creating 21st Century Abundance Through Public Policy Innovation

One of the greatest challenges of the 21st century is the problem of how the public and private sectors can sustain economic development, business growth, social well-being and ecosystem health in the face of accelerating demand for water, energy, and food. "Business as usual" projections of scarcity in water, energy, and food predict a lack of these resources sufficient to sustain economic and business growth as well as an adequate standard of living worldwide. Developments in technology are well documented, but this is the first book to explain the role of innovation in public policy and governance, a topic which is frequently overlooked and often frustrates developments in technology and business. Without innovation in public policy and governance, innovation in technology solutions will face persistent headwinds for adoption. The book showcases these innovations and creates a roadmap of what needs to change to drive economic development, business growth, social wellbeing and ecosystem health in the 21st century.

Floods and droughts brought about by the vagaries of nature cause extensive damage to the livelihoods of people as well as the environment. Knowledge of the need to adopt sustainable practices toward water use, reuse, and management is critical and the scope of this book deals precisely with sustainable practices in water management. The purpose of this book is to provide the reader with abundant and relevant information on all aspects related to water sustainability: water reuse, dynamics of transboundary waterways, economic tools to analyze sustainability, water-energy-food nexus, computer simulation models to study watershed models, and so forth. Although this book may not provide readers with comprehensive information on all aspects related to water sustainability, it will provide constructive data and content on the current trends and advancements in sustainable practices related to water. The book is intended to further motivate readers and scientists alike to look further and make concerted efforts toward promoting better and effective water management.

This volume includes selected contributions presented during the 2nd edition of the international conference on WaterEnergyNEXUS which was held in Salerno, Italy in November 2018. This conference was organized by the Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED) of the University of Salerno (Italy) in cooperation with Advanced Institute of Water Industry at Kyungpook National University (Korea) and with The Energy and Resources Institute, TERI (India). The initiative received the patronage of UNESCO – World Water Association Programme (WWAP) and of the International Water Association (IWA) and was organized with the support of Springer (MENA Publishing Program), Arab Water Council (AWC), Korean Society of Environmental Engineering (KSEE) and Italian Society of Sanitary Environmental Engineering Professors (GITISA). With the support of international experts invited as plenary and keynote speakers, the conference aimed to give a platform for Euro-Mediterranean countries to share and discuss key topics on such water-energy issues through the presentation of nature-based solutions, advanced technologies and best practices for a more sustainable environment. This volume gives a general and brief overview on current research focusing on emerging Water-Energy-Nexus issues and challenges and its potential applications to a variety of environmental problems that are impacting the Euro-Mediterranean zone and surrounding regions. A selection of novel and alternative solutions applied worldwide are included. The volume contains over about one hundred carefully refereed contributions from 44 countries worldwide selected for the conference. Topics covered include (1) Nexus framework and governance, (2) Environmental solutions for the sustainable development of the water sector, (3) future clean energy technologies and systems under water constraints, (4) environmental engineering and management, (5) Implementation and best practices Intended for researchers in environmental engineering, environmental science, chemistry, and civil engineering. This volume is also an invaluable guide for industry professionals working in both water and energy sectors.

This book shows how digital technologies are transforming how we locate, manage, treat, distribute, and use water. Water resources are under stress from over-allocation, increased demand, pollution, climate change, and outdated public policies. Historical approaches to delivering water for human consumption, industrial production, agriculture, power generation, and ecosystems are no longer adequate to meet demands. As a result, we need to vastly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our public and private sector processes in water management. The author describes recent advances in data acquisition (e.g., satellite imagery, drones, and on-the-ground sensors and smart meters), big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and blockchain, which provide new tools to meet needs in both developing and developed economies. For example, a digital water technology portfolio brings the value of real-time system-wide monitoring – and response – within the capability of water providers of all sizes and sophistication. As such, digital water promises to increase the long-term value of water resource assets while assisting in compliance with regulations and helping respond to the demands of population growth and evolving natural and business ecosystems. Including many practical examples, the author concludes that digital and smart water technologies will not only better manage water assets but also enable the public sector to provide universal access to safe drinking water, the private sector to continue to grow, and ecosystems to thrive.

Innovation: Perspectives for the 21st Century, has been published by the BBVA Group. The motivation behind this publication is to disseminate expert knowledge on the key issues shaping the future course of the 21st century and relay this knowledge to soc

This handbook presents a global overview of developments in education and policy change during the last decade. It provides an accessible, practical and comparative source of current research that examines the intersecting and diverse discourses of this important issue. Divided into two parts, the handbook first examines globalisation and education policy reforms, including coverage of main trends as well as specific policy issues such as gender, equity, minorities and human rights. Next, the handbook offers a comparative perspective that evaluates the ambivalent and problematic relationship between globalisation, the state and education reforms globally. It features coverage on curricula issues and education reforms in schools around the world as well as the curriculum in the global culture. Now more than ever there is a need to understand and analyse both the intended and the unintended effects of globalisation on economic competitiveness, educational systems, the state and relevant policy changes--all as they affect individuals, the higher education sector, schools, policy-makers and powerful corporate organisations across the globe. By examining some of the major education policy issues, particularly in the light of recent shifts in education and policy research, this handbook offers readers a comprehensive picture of the impact of globalisation on education policy and reforms. It will serve as a vital sourcebook of ideas for researchers, practitioners and policy makers in education.

The tangible value of increased water efficiency, reuse and recycling and improved social license to operate are moving more companies to adopt water stewardship strategies. This book frames an expanded strategy for water stewardship and business value creation, including brand value, that benefits a range of stakeholders including consumers, customers, investors and employees. The book shows that until recently the linkage between full business value and water stewardship has been missing from the corporate agenda. This linkage and value creation from a leading water strategy is increasingly important to socially responsible investors and "aspirationals" who value companies that have a social mission or focus to their overall business strategy. In general the largest portion of a company’s market capitalization is intangible value and understanding how a water strategy contributes to this intangible value is essential. The authors include cases studies and a framework or path forward to guide companies as they seek to build leading water strategy that goes beyond water stewardship to drive full business value from this investment. The book establishes the linkages and value from an integrated water and business strategy and an approach for companies to follow.

To mark the opening of a study of Comparative Innovation Policy: Best Practice for the 21st Century the Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy (STEP) convened a symposium providing an overview of areas to be examined in the study and topics requiring further policy attention. The event highlighted the policies and programs of leading nations and provided valuable insights into some of the common challenges of growing and supporting high-technology industry and the commercialization of public investments in R&D. This report contains a summary of the symposium proceedings and an introduction analyzing the issues and placing them in a broader policy context.