Topic.

Landscapes and Ecosystems

Landscapes and ecosystems play a central role in how water moves, is stored, and is shared. Forests, wetlands, farmland, and urban areas all influence water availability, quality, and resilience. Managing these connections well is essential for healthy ecosystems, secure livelihoods, and long-term water security.

Fragmented decisions across land, water, and ecosystems

In practice, decisions about land, water, and ecosystems are often made separately. Policies for agriculture, forestry, urban development, and water management tend to operate in silos, making it harder to respond to climate change, biodiversity loss, and growing pressure on land and water. Actions taken in one sector can unintentionally create problems elsewhere.

How SIWI contributes

SIWI works to improve the governance that connects land, water, and ecosystem management. We support approaches that bring land-use planning, water management, and ecosystem protection together, reflecting how landscapes function in reality. SIWI helps bridge policy silos and improve coordination across sectors and levels.

What integrated landscape governance enables

By supporting more integrated approaches, SIWI helps societies manage trade-offs, reduce risk, and protect the ecosystems that sustain water systems and livelihoods. Clearer links between land and water decisions are essential for resilience and long-term sustainability.

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