Values-driven water management in coal seam gas industries

Abstract

Achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals hinges on changing how governments, societies, and the private sector use and manage water, including recognizing and incorporating water's multiple values into decision-making. This article focuses on the beneficial reuse of water generated as a by-product of coal seam gas industries (CSW). It offers insights applicable to the broader context of water management within extractive industries. In this paper, we introduce a conceptual framework for identifying multiple values associated with CSW. By conducting a literature review on CSW management, its beneficial reuse, and the values associated with CSW and water in general, we found that existing literature primarily focused on technical aspects, neglecting broader social implications. Our proposed hierarchical framework begins with universal values and progresses to shared and individual values of two types: assigned and governance-related values. These include economic, environmental, and social domains, each with its own value typologies, as well as good governance and justice values. By encompassing diverse values, this framework can enhance regulations and policy for coal seam gas development and water management. It recognizes that management strategies depend on how values are conceptualized, contributing to equitable and sustainable water management in extractive industries.