Sustainable Development and Active Management of Water in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Abstract Sustainable use of water, which is one of the most important natural renewable resources in Bosnia and Herzegovina, should be a priority and an integrative objective of sustainable development. In accordance to that, it is necessary to provide the satisfactory amount of water of an adequate quality for various purposes, to reduce damage from water, and to achieve a good ecological potential of water, thus ensuring the sustainability of this resource, at the same time not jeopardizing the ecosystems that depend on it. Encouraging irrigation, especially of small farmland and orchards, careful construction of small hydropower plants, the development of fisheries and tourism on and by the water, much greater use of mineral and thermal waters, and other possibilities provided by unused renewable resources in Bosnia and Herzegovina provide significant opportunities to develop an environmentally friendly economy. Application of the principles of sustainable development and set goals requires more precise definition and putting into a clear economic, environmental, social, and institutional context.