This book on water and climate change goes beyond the usual and predictable analyses, by bringing religion and values into a discussion that is often dominated by technocratic solutions. The three case studies of Jakarta, Cape Town, and Amsterdam demonstrate the challenges of water management in urban areas and the role religion can play in addressing them. With representatives from science, politics, economics, and religion, as well as young voices, the book stimulates a values-driven dialogue on issues of water in times of climate change.

Jan Jorrit Hasselaar is a theologian and economist. He coordinates the Amsterdam Centre for Religion and Sustainable Development at the Vrije Universiteit. His main work is on theology as a perspective of the good life based on hope in conversation with economics, church, and society at large.

Elisabeth IJmker has a background in public policy and international development. She works on religion and societal challenges at the Vrije Universiteit, which she combines with a political career as local representative in the city council of Amsterdam.

Introduction (Prof. Ruard Ganzevoort)
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Dr John Chryssavgis, Jan Jorrit Hasselaar)
1. The Need for Dialogue
An academic perspective (Prof. Vinod Subramaniam)
A governmental perspective (Prof. Caroline Nevejan)
Kadir van Lohuizen, photos
An economic perspective (Prof. Jan Peter Balkenende)
A religious perspective (Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew)
2. Global Perspectives on Water and Climate Change
Closing session of Amsterdam International Water Week (Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew)
Reflection by Bianca Nijhof
Global challenges on water and climate change (Prof. Jeroen Aerts)
3. Voices of the Next Generation: How Dare You?
Water Quality Management (Liang Yu)
Caring for our water cycle (Françeska Tomori)
Water crisis and social inequalities (Monserrat Vásquez L)
Taking action (Bas Zaalberg)
Interdisciplinarity in solving global challenges (Samira I. Ibrahim)
4. Voices from Those Who Dare
Building with nature (Pieter van Oord)
Faith for Earth Programme (Dr Iyad Abumoghli)
Water and religion (Cardinal Turkson)
Reflection by Hein Pieper
5. Water-Sensitive Cities
Jakarta
Amsterdam
Cape Town
Reflection by Thabo Makgoba
6. A Covenant of Hope
Covenant of Hope
Reflection by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Reflection by Gerhard van den Top
Reflection by Jos Douma
Reflection by Richard Kooloos
7. The Role of Religion in Society
The Netherlands as pluralist society (Prof. Jan Anthonie Bruijn)
Religion and Security (Prof. Ernst Hirsch Ballin)
Religion as force for good (Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew)
Conclusion: Concrete steps into a hopeful future