ABSTRACT
The concept of Water Diplomacy has matured significantly over the past decade and will continue to evolve in the years ahead. At this key juncture, we have asked several theorists and practitioners to share their perspectives on the current state of Water Diplomacy. In this chapter, Professor Lawrence Susskind, one of the co-authors of the original Water Diplomacy Framework, proposes six sticky ideas for successful water negotiations. Professor Enamul Choudhury, co-editor of a recent book on Water Diplomacy, reflects on methodological challenges and the perennial issues of bridging theory and practice. Greg Koch, a globally recognized leader in water stewardship, offers a unique industry perspective on why the “soft stuff” (empathy, cultures, religions) is so much more challenging than the “hard stuff” (data, models, infrastructure). Our hope is that these reflections offer our readers actionable insights, a deeper understanding of the challenges that remain, and a sense of direction for future Water Diplomacy scholarship and practice.
