The study of the allocation, pricing, and management of water resources, including the economic impacts of water scarcity and drought.
Scarcity and abundance of water resources: Introduction to the concept of water scarcity and abundance, factors influencing water availability, and the need for water resources management.
Water allocation and appropriation: Types of water rights, principles of water allocation, and mechanisms for water appropriation.
Economic value and valuation of water: Economic value of water, different methods of valuation (e.g., market, non-market, cost-benefit analysis), and limitations of valuation techniques.
Property rights and institutional frameworks: Overview of property rights in water resources, types of ownership and tenure, and institutional frameworks.
Supply and demand analysis: Analysis of water supply and demand, factors affecting demand and supply, and pricing mechanisms for water resources.
Water pricing and subsidies: Different approaches to water pricing, types of subsidies, and their impact on water management.
Water markets and trading: Overview of water markets and trading, types of water markets, and their role in water resource management.
Water conservation and efficiency: Best practices and regulations for water conservation, water efficiency measures, and their impact on water management.
Integrated Water Resources Management: Principles and practices of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), participation of stakeholders, and economic, social, and environmental benefits of IWRM.
Water governance and policy: Overview of water governance and policy, legal and regulatory frameworks, and their impact on water resource management.
Water Allocation Economics: This branch of economics deals with the distribution and allocation of water resources between competing users such as agriculture, industry, households, and the environment.
Water Pricing Economics: This branch of economics addresses optimal pricing structures for water resources in order to achieve efficient allocations and sustainable use.
Water Quality Economics: This field of economics focuses on the economic assessment of water quality, including the costs and benefits of improving, maintaining, or degrading water quality.
Water Governance Economics: This field of economics involves the study of the political economy of water resource management, with an emphasis on institutional and governance structures.
Water and Climate Economics: This discipline of economics assesses the impacts of climate change on water resources, as well as the economic costs and benefits of climate adaptation and mitigation measures.
Integrated Water Resource Management Economics: This field of economics seeks to integrate the different aspects of water resource management, including water allocation, pricing, quality, governance, and climate change.
Water Markets Economics: This discipline of economics evaluates the use of water markets as a tool for allocating water resources among competing users, and the role of private actors in water provision.
Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Economics: This field of economics evaluates the economic benefits of investing in natural ecosystems to provide water-related services such as flood control, erosion prevention, and water purification.