This document on consumption-based water management (CBWM) distils and expands on the findings of an expert consultation hosted by FAO and the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR), 29–30 October 2019. The meeting brought together Chinese and international experts to discuss the technical, governance and broader dimensions of managing consumptive water use, and to understand the implications of more than ten years’ pilot experience in China and its potential for application in a broader range of climatic, political administrative and socioeconomic contexts.

The document provides contextual information on CBWM, introduces technical basis for CBWM, takes a closer look at law, policy, and governance and their the relevelance in implementing CBWM, and step-by-step detail on implementation of CBWM. Finally, the document argues that the implementation of CBWM requires preliminary steps in developing water accounts, water rights, water allocation processes and associated institutional arrangements, all of which are very relevant and immediately necessary in most countries in Asia.