ABSTRACT
The political and socioeconomic stability of Panama has been critical to US national interests for more than a century, and increasingly so since the canal was returned to Panama on December 31, 1999. Water resource management (WRM) in the context of climate change is of importance regarding one of the main economic sectors of the country: the Panama Canal watershed and its influence on global maritime commerce. A U. S. policy that focuses on sustainable development and the inclusion of visible climate change considerations in Panama's new national effort for improved WRM would be a major contribution toward the goal of reducing the frequency of potential conflicts. Climate change risk management is already being adopted by US government agencies working abroad. In August 2016, the Panamanian government approved a resolution adopting the National Water Security Plan (PNSH in Spanish) and establishing the National Water Council and the technical secretary for water security.
