Sustainability Science
From compliance to stewardship: a responsibility-centred framework for water governance and policy drawing on the Bhagavad Gita
Abstract Water governance has grown more sophisticated over the past half-century, yet many water systems remain under severe stress. Aquifers continue to decline, rivers and wetlands continue to degrade, and irrigation and urban water systems face growing pressure from competing demands, pollution and climate variability. This article argues that the paradox reflects a structural imbalance. Contemporary governance is highly developed in instruments of external control, such as licensing, pricing, monitoring and en …