Often books fall distinctly into one category or another: general readership or scholarly research. This needed introductory book, however, is successful at satisfying at least three categories: general readership, self-directed course textbook, and scholarly research/reference publication. It embodies the well-known structural features of a textbook: chapter summaries indicating what the reader should learn, summary conclusions or takeaways for each chapter, boxed text outlining issues of particular importance, a glossary of terms, and extensive notes and references for further reading. The last two satisfy requirements of a research text for scholars. Doorn (Delft Univ. of Technology) employs a writing style that minimizes technical language, rendering the text accessible to general readers and introductory students. The author’s extensive background in civil engineering, philosophy, and law shows clearly as she argues diverse controversial ideas related to water uses. Among these are distributive/procedural justice, economic issues, human rights, and communitarian and intergenerational responsibility. While introducing ethical issues of water engineering design and implementation, Doorn maintains a genuine openness, empowering readers’ informed disagreement. The concluding chapter identifies strategic decision-making challenges related to water management/governance from bottom-up and top-down governance approaches, well integrated with critical considerations brought forward from earlier chapters. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.

Choice Reviews

This book addresses the challenges for governing water posed by increasing scarcity, the risks of flooding due to climate change, and by water pollution. Within this context the author explores how to value and distribute a resource that has multiple and competing uses and does not respect our borders. She then skilfully addresses the complex issues of justice that arise.

Max Finlayson, Professor for Ecology and Biodiversity & Director Institute for Land, Water & Society, Charles Sturt University

In this highly accessible book, Neelke Doorn introduces the complexity and role of ethics in water governance. It’s a great resource both for students and professionals.

Arjen Hoekstra, author of 'The Water Footprint of Modern Consumer Society'

In this lucid book, Neelke Doorn explains why and how questions of justice need to become more explicit in water governance. In a clear way, the book identifies possible ways to articulate and discuss the ethical considerations that shape where and to whom water flows. I recommend it to anyone interested in a comprehensive, interdisciplinary introduction to contemporary water problems.

Margreet Zwarteveen, Professor of Water Governance, IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education

Water governance is replete with ethical challenges, whether in the way that humans address increasing demands upon scarce freshwater resources, pollution threats, or hazards from flooding, all of which are intensifying with anthropogenic environmental change. Doorn’s book is timely and accessible, offering the first comprehensive ethical treatment of this essential and unique resource.

Steve Vanderheiden, Associate Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies, Center for Science and Technology Policy Research (CSTPR), University of Colorado at Boulder