Water resources systems are increasingly challenged by climate change, population growth, rapid urbanization, ecosystem degradation, pollution, and competing demands across sectors. At the same time, the accelerating need for decarbonization, resilience, and resource efficiency is reshaping the way societies manage water resources and related infrastructures. Conventional water management approaches, often characterized by fragmented governance structures and sector-specific solutions, are proving insufficient to address the interconnected and systemic nature of contemporary sustainability challenges.

Recent advances in systems thinking, sustainability transitions research, digital technologies, circular economy strategies, and participatory governance have created new opportunities for transformative change in water systems. However, despite significant scientific progress, a persistent gap remains between conceptual frameworks and implementable solutions capable of supporting real-world transformation. Policymakers, utilities, industries, and local communities increasingly require actionable pathways that integrate technological innovation with governance reform, stakeholder engagement, socio-economic considerations, and ecosystem restoration.

This Themed Collection aims to address this gap by focusing on implementable systems transformation pathways that can accelerate water resource sustainability across local, regional, and global contexts. The Collection recognizes water systems as socio-technical and socio-ecological systems that require interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches capable of managing uncertainty, complexity, and competing stakeholder priorities. Particular emphasis is placed on practical implementation, scalability, inclusiveness, and policy relevance.

The Collection also acknowledges the growing importance of nexus approaches linking water with energy, food, climate adaptation, biodiversity, urban systems, and the circular economy. Emerging approaches such as living labs, digital twins, nature-based solutions, adaptive governance, and innovation ecosystems offer promising opportunities for systemic transformation but require further scientific exploration, empirical validation, and comparative assessment.

By bringing together contributions from researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and innovation actors, this Collection seeks to advance actionable knowledge and foster interdisciplinary dialogue on how transformative change in water systems can be effectively designed, governed, financed, and implemented in practice.

Contributions may focus on, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Integrated water resources management and systems thinking
• Water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus approaches
• Climate adaptation, resilience, and risk management in water systems
• Circular economy and resource recovery in water and wastewater systems
• Nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration
• Smart water systems, digitalization, AI, and digital twins
• Governance innovation, adaptive policy frameworks, and institutional transformation
• Stakeholder engagement, participatory processes, and co-creation methodologies
• Living labs and experimental approaches for sustainability transitions
• Financing mechanisms, investment models, and economic instruments
• Sustainable urban water systems and infrastructure transitions
• Equity, justice, and inclusiveness in water governance
• Behavioural, socio-economic, and cultural dimensions of water transitions
• Innovation ecosystems and entrepreneurship for water sustainability
• Comparative regional and international case studies

The Collection welcomes a range of manuscript types, including research articles, review articles, perspectives, case studies and rapid communications. The Collection particularly encourages submissions demonstrating practical applicability, stakeholder relevance, and real-world implementation potential across diverse geographical and socio-economic contexts.

Submission deadline: 30 November 2026

Lead Editor

Professor Phoebe Koundouri, Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece; University of Cambridge, UK; AE4RIA Research Centres. Senior Editor of Cambridge Prisms: Water.