ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the evolution of sustainable development, including specific elements related to water and discusses the international law of sustainable development and sustainable development in international water law. It addresses sustainable development in national legal frameworks; and examines the implications of the new sustainable development goal on water. The UN Convention to Combat Desertification stresses that the objective of the Convention can only be achieved through 'conservation and sustainable management of land and water resources'. Sustainable development of water resources is widely seen as critical to address the increasing range of water-related challenges faced by humanity. The Rio Declaration does not redefine sustainable development, but rather begins the elaboration of principles that contribute to achieving sustainable development. Water has been recognized, since the very beginning, as an important element of the still evolving principle of sustainable development. The recognition that international law in the field of sustainable development requires further development predates the principle itself.
