Publications

Falkenmark, M., Wang-Erlandsson, L., 2021. One Earth, Volume 4, Issue 2, 19 February 2021, Pages 213-225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2021.01.009

The freshwater cycle over land is fundamental for sustainability and resilience, yet is extensively modified and shaped by a vast range of human interventions in the land, water, and climate systems. The consequences of human water-cycle modifications can be non-linear, delayed, and distributed across boundaries, sectors, and scale. This complexity renders freshwater challenges difficult to govern and manage. We here propose a...

Gleeson, T., Wang‐Erlandsson, L., Porkka, M., Zipper, S.C., Jaramillo, F., Gerten, D., Fetzer, I., Cornell, S.E., Piemontese, L., Gordon, L.J. and Rockström, J., 2020. Illuminating water cycle modifications and Earth System resilience in the Anthropocene. Water Resources Research, 56(4), p.e2019WR024957

Fresh water—the bloodstream of the biosphere—is at the center of the planetary drama of the Anthropocene. Water fluxes and stores regulate the Earth's climate and are essential for thriving aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, as well as water, food, and energy security. But the water cycle is also being modified by humans at an unprecedented scale and rate. A holistic understanding of freshwater's role for Earth system resilie...

Falkenmark, M. 2020. Water resilience and human life support - global outlook for the next half century. International Journal of Water Resources Development, DOI: 10.1080/07900627.2019.1693983

This article highlights green and blue water functions in the densely tied global water network, stabilizing the life support system and generating ecosystems and ecological services. Essential water challenges of the next half century are analyzed, identifying low-latitude dryland vulnerability and sharpening hydro-social water constraints. Attention is drawn to global warming, and the crucial roles of water and agriculture i...

Falkenmark, M., Wang-Erlandsson, L., Rockström, J. 2019. Understanding of Water Resilience in the Anthropocene, J. Hydrol. X 2, 100009.

Water is indispensable for Earth resilience and sustainable development. The capacity of social-ecological systems to deal with shocks, adapting to changing conditions and transforming in situations of crisis are fundamentally dependent on the functions of water to e.g., regulate the Earth’s climate, support biomass production, and supply water resources for human societies. However, massive, inter-connected, human interferenc...

Falkenmark, M. 2016. Water and human livelihood resilience: a regional-to-global outlook, International Journal of Water Resources Development, DOI: 10.1080/07900627.2016.1190320

This article addresses the need to profoundly expand the way we think about freshwater. Stressing water’s role as the bloodstream of the biosphere, the article highlights water’s functions in sustaining life on the planet (control, state and moisture feedback functions), the role of water partitioning changes in inducing non-linear change at multiple scales, and humanity’s influence on a social-ecological system’s capacity to ...

Falkenmark, M., J. Rockström. 2015. Chapter 13: Double water blindness: Delaying Sub-Saharan green revolution. In: Clausen, A., T.J. Holmgren, K. Lexen (Eds.), Water for Development: Charting a Water Wise Path. SIWI, Stockholm, Sweden Vol. 35 pp. 64–69

Water is crucial for human sustenance, health and dignity; as a driver for business; for food and energy security; and for the ecosystems upon which our societies and continued development depend. For this report, prepare as input to 2015 World Water Week – themed Water for Development – we (SIWI) have invited a wide range of experts with different perspectives on water and development to share their thinking and propose new a...

Rockström, J., M. Falkenmark. 2015. Agriculture: Increase water harvesting in Africa. Nature 519: 283–285.

Falkenmark, M. 2015. Blind spots delay sub-Saharan struggle for water security. WaterFront 2015, nr 3, Stockholm International Water Institute, Stockholm.

Rockström, J., M. Falkenmark, C. Folke, M. Lannerstad, J. Barron, E. Enfors, L. Gordon, J. Heinke, H. Hoff, C. Pahl-Wostl. 2014. Water Resilience for Human Prosperity. Cambridge University Press.

The world's human population now constitutes the largest driving force of changes to the biosphere. Emerging water challenges require new ideas for governance and management of water resources in the context of rapid global change. This book presents a new approach to water resources, addressing global sustainability and focusing on socio-ecological resilience to changes. Topics covered include the risks of unexpected change...

Rockström, J., M. Falkenmark, T. Allan, C. Folke, L. Gordon, A. Jägerskog, M. Kummu, M. Lannerstad, M. Meybeck, D. Molden, S. Postel, H. H. G. Savenije, U. Svedin, A. Turton, O. Varis. 2014. The unfolding water drama in the Anthropocene: Towards a resilience-based perspective on water for global sustainability. Ecohydrology 7(5): 1249-1261.

The human influence on the global hydrological cycle is now the dominant force behind changes in water resources across the world and in regulating the resilience of the Earth system. The rise in human pressures on global freshwater resources is in par with other anthropogenic changes in the Earth system (from climate to ecosystem change), which has prompted science to suggest that humanity has entered a new geological epoch, ...