Climate Change Impacts And Adaptation In Water Resources And Water Use Sectors

Climate change on earth is having significant impacts on water resources management in Southeast Asia. Knowledge of climate variations and climate change can be valuable for water resources management in agriculture, urban and industrial water supplies, hydroelectric power generation, and ecosystem maintenance. This book presents the findings of case studies on forecasting climate change and its impacts on water availability, irrigation water requirements, floods and droughts, reservoir inflows and hydropower generation, and crop yield in specific basins of Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam. All case studies start by forecasting the climate change and investigating its impacts by employing several hydrological reservoir simulations and crop water requirement models. The findings provide sound and scientific advice for water managers on the real impacts of climate change and how to adapt to its many challenges.

The quantitative assessment of the impact of climate change on water availability and water resources management requires knowledge of climate, hydro(geo)logical and water resources models, and particularly the relationships between each of them. This book brings together world experts on each of these aspects, distilling each complex topic into concise and easy to understand chapters, in which both the uses and limitations of modelling are explored. The book concludes with a set of case studies using real-life examples to illustrate the steps required and the problems that can be faced in assessing the potential impacts of climate change on water resource systems. For students, scientists, engineers and decision-makers alike, this book provides an invaluable and critical look at the information that is provided by climate models, and the ways it is used in modelling water systems. A key focus is the exploration of how uncertainties may accrue at each stage of an impacts assessment, and the reliability of the resulting information. The book is a practical guide to understanding the opportunities and pitfalls in the quantitative assessment of climate change impacts and adaptation in the water resource sector.

The impacts of human-induced climate change are largely mediated by water, such as alterations in precipitation and glacial melt patterns, variations in river flow, increased occurrence of droughts and floods, and sea level rise in densely populated coastal areas. Such phenomena impact both urban and rural communities in developed, emerging, and developing countries. Taking a systems approach, this book analyzes evidence from 26 countries and identifies common barriers and bridges for local adaptation to climate change through water resources management. It includes a global set of case studies from places experiencing increased environmental and social pressure due to population growth, development and migration, including in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America. All chapters consider the crosscutting themes of adaptive capacity, equity, and sustainability. These point to resilient water allocation policies and practices that are capable of protecting social and environmental interests, whilst ensuring the efficient use of an often-scarce resource.

Sustainable development in the already vulnerable MENA Region faces several challenges, among which is climate change. Though the MENA Region is not a main contributor to climate change, it is predicted that several vital sectors will be negatively impacted, which is a threat to the sustainability of its socio-economic development. Water availability in the MENA Region is expected to be negatively impacted by climate change due to the predicted reduction of rainfall and increased evaporation. In addition, domestic and agricultural demands for freshwater will dramatically increase due to the expected temperature rise, which will enlarge the already existing gap between supply and demand in several MENA countries. It is important to note that the negative impacts on water resources will directly translate to other sectors due to their strong connectivity with the water sector. These sectors are food security, health, ecology, environment, economy and social. Predicted sea level rise due to melting of the poles is expected to result in land use change, which will in turn have severe social and economic consequences. Proper mitigation and adaptation options that take into consideration the multi-dimensional nature of the climate change impacts are imperative to conserve these sectors and to sustain the socio-economic development of the MENA Region. The objective of this book is to provide readers with state-of-the-art knowledge of diverse experiences related to the possible climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation options in the MENA Region, and to identify and to deliberate upon the research needs and concepts against the background of increasing threats to ecosystems, economy and human health.

This report reviews the main linkages between climate change, water and agriculture as a means to identifying and discussing adaptation strategies for better use and conservation of water resources.

To plan successfully and manage the increased uncertainties posed by likely future climate change, knowledge needs to advance much more for the water profession beyond what it is now available. Meeting these challenges does not depend exclusively on advances in climatological-hydrologic models. Policies for adaptation and strategies for mitigation measures have to be formulated on the basis of what are likely to be the potential impacts. These will have to be regularly fine-tuned and implemented according to changing needs and as more reliable knowledge and data become available. Even more challenging will be the politics of policy making and implementation, which will require a quantum leap from current policy-making and implementation processes. One can even say that, in addition to the development of more reliable models, the politics of climate change and water management remains one of the greatest uncertainties for the water profession. This book addresses water management practices and how these should and could be modified to cope with climatic and other related uncertainties over the next two to three decades; the types of strategies and good practices that may be available or have to be developed to cope with the current and expected uncertainties in relation to climate change; and the types of knowledge, information and technological developments needed to incorporate possible future climate change impacts within the framework of water resources management. Decision making in the water sector under changing climate and related uncertainties, and societal water security under altering and fluctuating climate are also discussed. Several case studies are included from several basins, cities, regions and countries in both developed and non-developing countries. This book was published as a special issue of the International Journal of Water Resources Development.

The publication intends to demonstrate and illustrate important steps and lessons learned to take into account when developing a climate change adaptation strategy for water management in the basin or transboundary context. It aims to compile, analyse, publish and disseminate lessons learned and good practices on water and adaptation to climate change in transboundary basins. It includes lessons learnt and good practices from the programme of pilot projects under the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Tranbsboundary Watercourses and International Lakes implemented since 2010 in cooperation with partner organizations such as OSCE and UNDP in the framework of the Environment and Security Initiative. It also includes lessons and examples from numerous other organizations working on water and climate change in transboundary basins, such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Global Water Partnership and many others.

Today's climate variability already has a large impact on water supply and protection. Millions of people are affected every year by droughts and floods. Future climate change is likely to make things worse. Many people within the water sector are aware that climate change is expected to have serious consequences for water resource management, but they are unsure how to incorporate climate information into their management structures. Providing a compendium of specific strategies, Climate Change Adaptation in the Water Sector is the first book to show students and professionals in the water sector how to adapt to climate change and variability. It enables advanced students, managers, decision-makers and other practitioners to feel comfortable in analysing and using climate data within the water sector. The book consists of two parts: the first describes the general issues and is written mainly by the editors of the book, while the second part contains specific case studies drawn from a wide range of contrasting countries: Australia, Germany, The Netherlands, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand and Yemen. Published in association with the Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate, NeWater, UNESCO and WATCH (Water and Global Change)