17 September 2012: The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Water Forum (GWF) has published a discussion paper on the trend in water and wastewater systems to improve resilience. The paper questions whether such an intangible concept can provide a basis for policy.

The discussion paper, titled “Understanding Resilience: Implications for the Water Sector,” is authored by Heather Smith, Cranfield University, UK. It examines definitions of both ecosystem and infrastructure resilience.

In her conclusions, Smith asks how much flexibility is appropriate in the quest for resilience, while noting that water policy processes are likely to favor known options making creativity and experimentation challenging to encourage. The paper concludes that these issues must be considered if resilience is to be operationalized. [Publication: Understanding Resilience: Implications for the Water Sector]