Professor Asit Biswas

Distinguished Visiting Professor (School of Engineering)
Distinguished Visiting Professor (School of Geographical & Earth Sciences)

Director, Water Management International Pte Ltd, Singapore, Chief Executive, Third World Centre for Management, Atizapan de Zaragoza, Mexico

Import to contacts

Biography

Prof. Asit K. Biswas is universally acknowledged as one of the world’s leading authorities on water, food, environment and development-related issues.

He has a very distinguished career as:

an academic
senior public official in Canada
advisor and confidant to Presidents, Prime Ministers and Ministers in 23 countries, six Heads of United Nations Agencies, two Secretary-Generals of OECD, several Heads of bilateral aid agencies, and four CEOs or Chairmen of MNCs in Fortune 500 list

He has worked and lived in all continents except Australia. He was a member of the World Commission on Water, and co-founder of International Water Resources Association and World Water Council.

He was a member of the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum and is currently member of the International Advisory Board, Pictet Asset Management, Geneva; member of the Advisory Board, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur; and Strategic Advisor, Singapore International Water Week.

Among his numerous awards are:

Crystal Drop and Millennium Prizes of the International Water Resources Association
Walter Huber Prize of the American Society of Civil Engineering; Stockholm Water Prize, considered to be the Nobel Prize for water, for “his outstanding and multi-faceted contributions to global water resource issues”
“Person of the Year” award from Prime Minister Harper of Canada
Aragon Environment Prize of Spain. Reuters named him as a “one of the top 10 water trailblazers of the world.” Impeller magazine selected him as “true global water hero.”

Because of his manifold research contributions, he has received seven Honorary Doctorates of Technology or Engineering from leading global universities, including from both University of Glasgow and University of Strathclyde.

He was elected an Academician over 20 years ago. He currently has an h-index of 46. Google Scholar lists 950 of his publications and over 10,400 citations of his work. He has a Research Gate score of 42.1, which puts him into the top 2.5% of all scientists from all disciplines from the entire world.

He is the author or editor of 89 books. His work has been translated into 42 languages.

Prof. Biswas is the founder of the International Journal of Water Resources Development and was its Editor-in-Chief for its first 29 years.

He is a regular media contributor to BBC, CNN, CNBC, TRT, Project Syndicate, The Conversation, Channel News Asia, MediaCorp and China Daily on issues related to natural resources management, climate change, environment, geopolitics, international relations, business strategies and innovations. His opinion pieces in various international media are now read by some 1.74 million readers annually all over the world.

Research interests

improving water policies and governance practices
institutional and policy environment necessary to coordinate food
water, energy and environment policies
corporate social responsibilities of major multinational corporations

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007

Number of items: 68.

2023

Evaristo, Jaivime, Jameel, Yusuf, Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924, Wang, Raymond Yu, Horne, James, Neukrug, Howard, David, Carlos Primo, Fasnacht, Angela Maria, Ziegler, Alan D. and Biswas, Asit (2023) Water woes: the institutional challenges in achieving SDG 6. Sustainable Earth Reviews, 6(1), 13. (doi: 10.1186/s42055-023-00067-2)

Biswas, Asit K. and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2023) Global crisis in water management: can a second UN Water Conference help? River, 2(2), pp. 143-148. (doi: 10.1002/rvr2.40)

Quentin Grafton, R., Biswas, Asit K., Bosch, Hilmer, Fanaian, Safa, Gupta, Joyeeta, Revi, Aromar, Sami, Neha and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2023) Goals, progress and priorities from Mar del Plata in 1977 to New York in 2023. Nature Water, 1(3), pp. 230-240. (doi: 10.1038/s44221-023-00041-4)

Biswas, Asit K. and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2023) Digitalization and hydroinformatics. River, 2(1), pp. 1-4. (doi: 10.1002/rvr2.37)

2022

Biswas, Asit K. and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2022) Future of desalination in the context of water security. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 38(6), pp. 921-927. (doi: 10.1080/07900627.2022.2138135)

Biswas, Asit K. (2022) River: a new multidisciplinary, multisectoral, and multi‐issues journal exploring all aspects of rivers from sources to seas. River, 1(1), pp. 2-3. (doi: 10.1002/rvr2.9)

Biswas, Asit K. (2022) Urban water security for developing countries. River, 1(1), pp. 15-24. (doi: 10.1002/rvr2.11)

2021

Biswas, Asit K. and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2021) Future of urban water and wastewater management: views on Singapore International Water Week. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 37(5), pp. 753-757. (doi: 10.1080/07900627.2021.1963115)

Biswas, Asit K. (2021) Water as an engine for regional development. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 37(3), pp. 359-361. (doi: 10.1080/07900627.2021.1890409)

2020

Biswas, Asit K., Sachdeva, Pawan K. and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2020) Phnom Penh Water Story: Remarkable Transformation of an Urban Water Utility. Series: Water resources development and management. Springer: Singapore. ISBN 9789813340640 (doi: 10.1007/978-981-33-4065-7)

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K K. (2020) Water management in post-2020 world. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 36(6), pp. 874-878. (doi: 10.1080/07900627.2020.1837451)

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (2020) COVID-19 heightens water problems around the world. Water International, 45(5), pp. 441-442. (doi: 10.1080/02508060.2020.1790133)

2019

Hartley, Kris, Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (2019) A formal model concerning policy strategies to build public acceptance of potable water reuse. Journal of Environmental Management, 250, 109505. (doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109505) (PMID:31518799)

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924, González-Gómez, Francisco, Biswas, Asit K. and Buurman, Joost (2019) Water demand management strategies for water-scarce cities: the case of Spain. Sustainable Cities and Society, 45, pp. 649-656. (doi: 10.1016/j.scs.2018.11.044)

Biswas, Asit K. (2019) Why water is not in the international political agenda. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 35(2), pp. 177-180. (doi: 10.1080/07900627.2019.1565154)

Biswas, Asit K. and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2019) Water crisis and water wars: myths and realities. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 35(5), pp. 727-731. (doi: 10.1080/07900627.2019.1636502)

Biswas, Asit K. and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2019) Water quality management: a globally neglected issue. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 35(6), pp. 913-916. (doi: 10.1080/07900627.2019.1670506)

Pandit, Chetan and Biswas, Asit K. (2019) India’s National Water Policy: ‘feel good’ document, nothing more. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 35(6), pp. 1015-1028. (doi: 10.1080/07900627.2019.1576509)

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (2019) Objective case studies of successful urban water management. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 35(4), pp. 547-550. (doi: 10.1080/07900627.2019.1613766)

2018

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (2018) Achieving universal access to clean water and sanitation in an era of water scarcity: strengthening contributions from academia. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 34, pp. 21-25. (doi: 10.1016/j.cosust.2018.08.001)

Hartley, Kris, Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (2018) Political dynamics and water supply in Hong Kong. Environmental Development, 27, pp. 107-117. (doi: 10.1016/j.envdev.2018.06.003)

Biswas, Asit K. and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2018) Dams and human development: changing societal perceptions. International Journal on Hydropower and Dams, pp. 8-9.

Biswas, Asit K., Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Rohner, Philippe (Eds.) (2018) Assessing Global Water Megatrends. Series: Water resources development and management. Springer: Singapore. ISBN 9789811066948

Tortajada, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, A.K. (2018) Singapore, the city-state: how it transformed itself from an average third World city to one of the best in the World in 25 years. Vanguardia Dossier, 67,

Wang, Yahua, Wan, Tingting and Biswas, Asit K. (2018) Structuring water rights in China: a hierarchical framework. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 34(3), pp. 418-433. (doi: 10.1080/07900627.2017.1378627)

2017

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924, Kastner, Matthew J., Buurman, Joost and Biswas, Asit K. (2017) The California drought: coping responses and resilience building. Environmental Science and Policy, 78, pp. 97-113. (doi: 10.1016/j.envsci.2017.09.012)

Hartley, Kris, Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (2017) Confronting global security in an era of water instabilities. Foreign Policy Journal, 3 Feb.

Biswas, A.K., Saklani, U. and Tortajada, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2017) Solution to Delhi’s never-ending water problems. India Water Review, 4(7), pp. 14-16.

2016

Biswas, Asit K. and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2016) Water security, economic growth and sustainable development: linking society, economy and environment. Geographer, pp. 18-19.

Biswas, A.K. and Biswas-Tortajada, A.L. (2016) Creating shared value: how Nestlé achieved it in Moga, India. Business Economics, pp. 48-49.

2015

Biswas, Asit K. and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (Eds.) (2015) Water Security, Climate Change and Sustainable Development. Series: Water resources development and management. Springer: Singapore. ISBN 9789812879745

Muller, Mike, Biswas, Asit, Martin-Hurtado, Roberto and Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2015) Built infrastructure is essential. Science, 349(6248), pp. 585-586. (doi: 10.1126/science.aac7606) (PMID:26250671)

Hering, J. G., Sedlak, D. L., Tortajada, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924, Biswas, A. K., Niwagaba, C. and Breu, T. (2015) Local perspectives on water. Science, 349(6247), pp. 479-480. (doi: 10.1126/science.aac5902) (PMID:26228131)

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (Eds.) (2015) Water Infrastructure. Series: Routledge special issues on water policy and governance. Routledge: London ; New York. ISBN 9781138911956

Biswas-Tortajada, Andrea and Biswas, Asit K. (2015) Sustainability in Coffee Production: Creating Shared Value Chains in Colombia. Routledge: London ; New York. ISBN 9781138902077 (doi: 10.4324/9781315697505)

Brabeck-Letmathe, Perter and Biswas, Asit K. (2015) Climate change? Yes. But what about water crisis? Business Economics, pp. 52-53.

Biswas, Asit K. (2015) H2O risk: business [not] as usual. Water and Wastewater International, pp. 16-19.

Biswas, A.K. (2015) World needs more dynamic water management in next 15 years. India Water Review, 2(5), pp. 20-21.

2014

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (2014) Dry truths about Indian drought. New Global Indian, pp. 42-45.

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924, Biswas, Asit K. and Tyagi, Avinash (Eds.) (2014) Water Management and Climate Change: Dealing With Uncertainties. Series: Routledge special issues on water policy and governance. Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon. ISBN 9781138809161

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924, González-Gómez, Francisco, Biswas, Asit K. and García-Rubio, Miguel A. (Eds.) (2014) The Private Sector and Water Pricing in Efficient Urban Water Management. Series: Routledge special issues on water policy and governance. Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon. ISBN 9781138779983

Biswas, Asit K. and Manocha, Nishtha (2014) India’s biofuel policies: progress or boondoggle? New Global Indian, 5(5), pp. 7-9.

Biswas, A.K. and Tortajada, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 (2014) India should consider new, innovative drought management strategies. India Water Review, 1(2), pp. 42-43.

2013

Brabeck-Letmathe, Peter and Biswas, Asit K. (2013) Water quality and sustainable development in India and across the world. New Global Indian, 5(4), pp. 12-14.

Biswas, Asit K., Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924, Biswas-Tortajada, Andrea, Joshi, Yugal K. and Gupta, Aishvarya (2013) Creating Shared Value: Impacts of Nestlé in Moga, India. Series: SpringerBriefs on case studies of sustainable development. Springer: Cham. ISBN 9783319014623 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-01463-0)

Biswas, Asit K. and Kirchherr, Julian (2013) Shale gas in India: the wrong path? Discussion Paper. Global Water Forum, Canberra, Australia.

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924, Joshi, Yugal and Biswas, Asit K. (2013) The Singapore Water Story: Sustainable Development in an Urban City-State. Routledge: London. ISBN 9780415657822

Biswas, Asit K. (2013) India: policy darkness in the power sector. India Power, XXI(I), pp. 30-32.

2012

Biswas, Asit K. (2012) Mismanagement in Indian power sector. New Global Indian, 3(3), pp. 22-24.

Joshi, Yugal Kishore, Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (2012) Cleaning of the Singapore River and Kallang Basin in Singapore: human and environmental dimensions. AMBIO, 41(7), pp. 777-781. (doi: 10.1007/s13280-012-0279-0) (PMID:22528982) (PMCID:PMC3472009)

Biswas, Asit K. (2012) Dam the debate. Asian Water, 28(5), pp. 25-27.

Biswas, Asit K. (Ed.) (2012) Managing Transboundary Waters of Latin America. Routledge: London ; New York. ISBN 9780415533409

Biswas, Asit K. (2012) Bengal needs a water policy, now! New Global Indian, 2(11), pp. 6-7.

Biswas, Asit K. (2012) Securing the world’s water future. Global-is-Asian, 14, pp. 15-16.

Gupta, Rajiv K. and Biswas, Asit K. (2012) Water as a human right. New Global Indian, pp. 48-49.

Joshi, Yugal Kishore, Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (2012) Clean up of the Singapore River: before and after. Global-is-Asian, 14, pp. 21-22.

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (Eds.) (2012) Asian Perspectives on Water Policy. Routledge: London ; New York. ISBN 9780415697262

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924, Altinbilek, Dogan and Biswas, Asit K. (Eds.) (2012) Impacts of Large Dams: a Global Assessment. Series: Water resources development and management. Springer: Berlin. ISBN 9783642235702

Biswas, Asit K. (2012) Droughts or floods: what is important for Singapore? Global-is-Asian, 13, pp. 40-41.

Joshi, Yugal Kishore, Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (2012) Cleaning of the Singapore River and Kallang Basin in Singapore: economic, social, and environmental dimensions. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 28(4), pp. 647-658. (doi: 10.1080/07900627.2012.669034)

2011

Biswas, Asit K., Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Izquierdo, Rafael (Eds.) (2011) Water Quality Management: Present Situations, Challenges and Future Perspectives. Series: Routledge special issues on water policy and governance. Routledge: London. ISBN 9780415688857

2010

Tortajada, Cecilia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6308-4924 and Biswas, Asit K. (Eds.) (2010) Improving Water Policy and Governance. Series: Routledge special issues on water policy and governance. Routledge: London ; New York. ISBN 9780415606288

Ringler, Claudia, Biswas, Asit K. and Cline, Sarah (Eds.) (2010) Global Change: Impacts on Water and food Security. Series: Water resources development and management. Springer: Berlin. ISBN 9783642046148