EXPERTISE
Background
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Josefina Maestu Unturbe is a distinguished economist and researcher affiliated with the University of Alcalá, widely recognized internationally for her expertise in economic policy, water management, and environmental governance.
Throughout her career, she has held high-level institutional roles, notably serving as the Director of the United Nations Office to Support the Water Action Decade (UN-Water) from 2009 to 2015, and as an Advisor to the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain.
Her research focuses on the socioeconomic dimensions of water resource management, the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive, economic valuation of water, and the use of economic instruments to address water scarcity and drought. Within the academic sphere, she combines her international experience with university teaching and knowledge transfer, actively participating in global decision-making forums, cooperation projects, and scientific publications aimed at promoting sustainability, climate resilience, and participatory governance in river basins.