Resettlement Resilience: Addressing Water Footprint, Climate Change, and Environmental Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Resettlement due to climate change impacts poses significant challenges to communities worldwide, often exacerbating existing environmental vulnerabilities and disrupting livelihoods. Water resources play a central role in these challenges, influencing both the causes and consequences of climate-induced displacement. This Special Issue aims to explore the intersecting dynamics of water footprints, climate change, resettlement, and environmental sustainability, with a focus on understanding and addressing the complexities of resettlement processes in the context of changing hydrological conditions. This Special Issue will provide a platform for multidisciplinary research and dialogue, encompassing topics such as hydrology, climate science, social resilience, environmental justice, policy studies, and community-based adaptation. It will examine the interactions between water resources, climate change-induced displacement, resettlement practices, and strategies for enhancing environmental sustainability and resilience in resettled communities.

This Special Issue will contribute to advancing knowledge, fostering dialogue, and promoting action on the complex challenges of climate-induced resettlement, water sustainability, and environmental resilience. By examining the interconnected dynamics of water footprints, climate change, resettlement, and environmental sustainability, this collection of articles seeks to inform policy, practice, and research agendas aimed at building resilient and sustainable communities in the face of a changing climate. We invite contributions from researchers, scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and activists working at the intersection of water resources, climate change, resettlement, and environmental sustainability. Submissions may include original research articles, review papers, case studies, policy analyses, and perspectives that offer insights, innovations, and solutions for addressing the themes outlined above.

Themes to Explore

Water footprints and climate change: Assess the impacts of climate change on water availability, quality, and distribution patterns, as well as their implications for human displacement and resettlement.

Investigate methodologies for quantifying and mitigating the water footprints of climate-induced resettlement processes, considering factors such as land-use change, infrastructure development, and water management practices.

Resettlement dynamics: Examine the socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental drivers as well as impacts of climate-induced displacement and resettlement. Analyze the effectiveness of existing resettlement policies, practices, and governance mechanisms in addressing water-related challenges and promoting environmental sustainability and community resilience.

Environmental justice and equity: Explore the distributional impacts of climate-induced displacement and resettlement on vulnerable populations, including marginalized communities, indigenous peoples, and women. Investigate strategies for promoting environmental justice, equity, and inclusion in resettlement planning, decision-making, and implementation processes.

Community-based adaptation: Highlight community-led initiatives and innovations for building resilience to climate change-induced displacement, with a focus on water resource management, livelihood diversification, and sustainable development. Identify the best practices and lessons learned from successful community-based adaptation projects that integrate water sustainability, climate resilience, and social empowerment.

Dr. Amit Kumar
Dr. Marina Cabral Pinto
Dr. Rituraj Shukla
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at mdpi.longhoe.net by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• resettlement resilience
• freshwater bodies
• water footprint
• climate change
• environmental sustainability
• sustainable development goals
• water security
• adaptation and mitigation
• policy framework
• ecological services