Could it be that our blue planet is entirely unique in our universe? Out of the suspected trillions of planets out there, ours is defined by liquid water. A great ocean swaddles much of its surface. Life on Earth began in our ocean, the science indicates. Simple organisms evolved in complexity over epochs of time and emerged onto land. All beings share common ancestors. We are all from the ocean.

Innately, we feel our connection to water. Streams, rivers, lakes, seas and the ocean beckon us. We feel good when we are in, on or near water – this is hardwired into us. Water invites us to immerse ourselves and feel its touch against our skin. When we heed the call, we are welcomed into a deep embrace, held by water and waves. With its exhilarating beauty and extraordinary power and wildness, water makes us feel alive. 

More than that, water is our life source. It is the basis of life on Earth. It cycles dynamically, continuously moving between the ocean, atmosphere, land and living beings, transitioning through states – solid, liquid and gas. It is an essential component of the Earth system, shaping our planet and connecting terrestrial environments that are dependent on hydrological processes. It connects us all within our complex living systems, throughout the interdependent web of life. Without water, none of us would or could exist. 

Too often, our understanding of our world is blinkered by the Western way of seeing, which narrows our field of vision and frames our living world within the paradigm of capital and commerce. In this, we fail to see that everything is interconnected. Without trees and vegetation, we don’t have rain. Without rain, we don’t have rivers. Without rivers, we lose freshwater sources and communities of life of entire watersheds. What would our world look like if we truly embodied our planetary interbeing – in ourselves, our cultures, our policies, our economies and our governance systems? 

In this book, we honour the interconnectedness of our world through the medium of water. As such, we have designed the book to flow downstream from glaciers to the ocean. Within its pages, we journey around the world to delve into vastly different water environments. We listen to diverse voices who share stories, worldviews and understandings of water that may encourage us to see the world in new ways. We learn of people, cultures and communities deeply connected to water and the issues they face. We examine and challenge the drivers of widespread degradation, destruction and devastation and explore how we may create a future with healthy and healed waters and thriving communities of life.

We are entering a time of great change that’s only just underway. The water cycles that we rely on are already being radically influenced, resulting in droughts and storms, desertified lands, eroded coastlines, disappearing deltas and more. The forecast for the future isn’t pretty. There is heaviness and grief in recognising the reality of what’s happening and what’s to come – we certainly felt that in the making of this book. However, there is also immense hope. This book champions some of the many who are defending our blue planet, standing for climate and environmental justice, and revitalising our waters and the communities and ecosystems they nourish. The stories that people have generously shared in this book demonstrate grit, strength, compassion, imagination, creativity and collaboration. They are an inspiration for how we may foster a meaningful connection to water, water environments and water species and how we can be deeply hopeful in how we advocate for our blue planet.

Celebrating and showcasing the incredible beauty of our water worlds is vital. May the pages of this book incite awe and wonder; may they invite you to immerse yourself; may they inspire you to join the coalition of waterkeepers around the world. If this book urges you to connect with water, then we have succeeded in our mission. If you are driven to action, then we have triumphed.

The book interweaves current scientific understanding and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and holds them in the same space – not in conflict but in coalescence. It is thanks to the scientists, scholars and knowledge-holders of TEK that we worked with that we were able to gather such a vibrant and multifaceted body of content. It should be understood that we’ve not attempted to be comprehensive or exhaustive – water is a vast and rich topic, and we have explored only a small fraction of the huge diversity of environments shaped by water. For us, creating this book has been a deeply enriching experience, and we’ve learnt so much. Naturally, though, we are likely to have blind spots.

In addition to the stories presented in the main texts, much of the information in this book is the culmination of ideas, research, studies and works by a wealth of organisations and individuals around the world, to whom we are extremely grateful. Many researchers, scientists, campaigners and others, past and present, have worked arduously to gather and disseminate knowledge. As creators of this book, we take no credit for birthing this knowledge. Our role is to present it accurately, fairly and with care. Hopefully, we have succeeded in this endeavour. 

Our world is ever-changing. Even during the book’s production, real-world situations and scientific understanding and data changed. Everything is always evolving. Much of the data may become dated. But we have taken care to present ideas that won’t age so easily. That said, the book doesn’t attempt to be timeless but instead timely. Again and again, we hear from the scientific community, world leaders and NGOs that we find ourselves at a crossroads. At an international level, we are asked to act with urgency on the water crisis, the ecological crisis, the social crisis, the humanitarian crisis and the climate crisis. 

Lots of crises. Our response may be panic, pain and paralysis. As these crises intensify, so may these feelings. But we won’t make good decisions on how to shape the path forward if we let these feelings consume or guide us. In the pages to come, we have included information and data that may incite such responses – we’d be remiss not to include it. But we ask that you attempt to keep panic, pain and paralysis at bay – let these feelings wash over you while you absorb the information. Instead, hold tight to the beauty of our water worlds, the hopeful stories, the creative approaches, the colourful and vibrant diversity of water environments and the cultures that rely on them. If you need to, step away, find a local water body, touch the water and be grateful for this gift that has given rise to the abundance of life that comprises our incredible world. 

We must recognise and respect that all water environments are different as are how peoples and cultures relate to them. There won’t be any silver-bullet solutions nor quick fixes. The challenges we face will require deep change guided by celebration, creativity, imagination and a deep-felt knowing that the living world is interconnected and bound by water.

May this book move you not to overwhelm but to joy and appreciation for our home, this beautiful blue planet of ours. 

Welcome to WaterWorlds.