Volume 51, Issue 5 (2026) emerges from the 1st Islands Water Congress and reflects the interdisciplinary nature of water management on island environments
Volume 51, Issue 5 (2026), the latest edition of Water International, IWRA’s official peer-reviewed journal, is now available for you to read. This special issue explores island approaches to water management by showcasing innovative, locally adapted solutions and the lessons they offer for the global water community.
Developed from the outcomes of the 1st Islands Water Congress, held in the Faroe Islands in September 2024, this issue brings together contributions from researchers and practitioners working across a wide range of island contexts and disciplines, from hydrology and engineering to governance and social sciences.
Together these articles demonstrate the diversity of island water management experiences, highlighting both shared challenges and context-specific responses.
What’s inside?
Across seven interdisciplinary papers, the special issue explores three broad approaches to strengthening water management in island environments:
- Integrated engineering and nature-based approaches that work with natural processes
- Legal and governance frameworks that support adaptive water management
- Community-led, decentralised solutions that strengthen local resilience
Upcoming: 2nd Islands Water Congress
Building on the significant impact of the inaugural Islands Water Congress, the 2nd Islands Water Congress is taking place 27-29 January 2027 in Montego Bay, Jamaica, co-hosted by the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) and the Water Resources Authority of Jamaica (WRA).
Under the theme: “Resilient Islands: Securing Water for Sustainable Development in a Changing World,” the 2nd Island Water Congress convenes island governments, practitioners, researchers, and communities to advance freshwater management approaches tailored to island contexts. In doing so, it works to amplify island perspectives in the global water dialogue.
