ABSTRACT Water governance has emerged as a critical analytical framework for addressing the complexity of socioecological water systems in contexts of increasing climate vulnerability and anthropogenic pressure. This study presents a systematic review and bibliometric analysis of 50 scientific articles indexed on water governance published between 2018 and 2025, following the PRISMA 2020 protocol. The search was conducted in four specialized databases (Scopus, ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis Online, and SAGE Journals), analyzing thematic, methodological, and geographical trends using advanced bibliometric techniques. The results reveal a paradigmatic consolidation toward polycentric, adaptive, and territorially differentiated approaches, with a transition from technocratic frameworks to integrated systems that incorporate institutional, participatory, and water justice dimensions. Seventy‐eight percent of the publications appear in Q1 journals, demonstrating the scientific maturity of the field. A strong link with the SDGs was identified, particularly SDG 6 (90% of studies) and SDG 16 (64% of studies), reflecting the recognition that effective water management requires solid institutional frameworks and participatory processes. Emerging trends include the integration of decolonial perspectives, nature‐based solutions, and advanced digital technologies. However, critical gaps remain in comparative longitudinal studies and empirical evaluations of participatory governance instruments. The findings underscore the urgent need for innovative methodological frameworks that capture the dynamic interactions between biophysical, institutional, and sociocultural variables to develop transformative and contextually appropriate water policies in scenarios of global change.
Pichis‐García et al. (Fri,) studied this question.