BMFTR, 2019-2021 Definition Phase, 2021-2025 Research & Development Phase, 2025-2027 Implementation Phase
Prof. Anke Hagemann, Lukas Papert, Adrian Hodgson, Johanna Westermann, Melanie Marshall, Ania Wilk-Pham
Former staff: Tino Imsirovic

Polycentric Approaches to the Management of Urban Water Resources in South-East Asia
A Localization of the Sustainability Targets of Agenda 2030 and the New Urban Agenda at the City/Municipality Level (PolyUrbanWaters, Polyurbwater)

Cities in South-East Asia are challenged to seek new ways to enhance their resilience, inclusiveness, and water resource security. Achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can only be realized if water resources are effectively protected and managed for the enhancement of water security in all countries of the region. In urban zones of SEA region, the challenges for comprehensive water management are of crucial importance and reflect a range of specific challenges of urban development.

'PolyUrbanWaters' is in line with calls to advance research and development to generate innovative solutions for a comprehensive polycentric, water-sensitive urban transformation.

As outputs, the practice-orientated project: will generate a comprehensive scientific knowledge about the parameters that are relevant for a polycentric, water-sensitive urban development as a lever for a comprehensive transformation to sustainability at the municipal/local level, and will develop instruments that supports respective transformation processes at the local, national and SEA-level.

Habitat Unit will carry out the scientific monitoring of the real laboratories from a planning and urban research perspective with the aim of translating the concrete experiences into strategic approaches, instruments and tools that can be transferred to other districts or municipalities (upscaling).

The PolyUrbanWaters project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR, formerly BMBF). An initial Definition Phase from 08/2019 to 01/2021 was followed by the Research and Development Phase from 02/2021 to 01/2025. The project is continuing with an Implementation Phase from 2025 to 2027.