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ICIMOD is the implementing agency for the Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Programme (HICAP) that runs from January 2011 to December 2015
. HICAP addresses climate change adaptation challenges across different related disciplines such as water resources, ecosystem services, food security, vulnerability and gender. Part of the project is related to the generation of water availability scenarios from upstream river basins that are primarily characterized by snow and glacial melt. ICIMOD has contracted FutureWater to generate these scenarios based on a high resolution hydrological model that FutureWater has developed. The project runs from January 2012 until July 2013. This final report describes the tasks performed by FutureWater, including results of the hydrological modeling
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The report focuses on some of the key opportunities and challenges to effective cooperation over transboundary waters; in the private sector and for environmental protection
. The report also explore emerging issues such as the role of information and communications technology in advancing water cooperation, the importance of climate mitigation and adaptation coherence and the interplay between actors in the water, food and energy nexus
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Scientific evidence shows that most glaciers in South Asia's Hindu Kush Himalayan region are retreating, but the consequences for the region's water supply are unclear, this report finds
. The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is the location of several of Asia's great river systems, which provide water for drinking, irrigation, and other uses for about 1.5 billion people. Recent studies show that at lower elevations, glacial retreat is unlikely to cause significant changes in water availability over the next several decades, but other factors, including groundwater depletion and increasing human water use, could have a greater impact. Higher elevation areas could experience altered water flow in some river basins if current rates of glacial retreat continue, but shifts in the location, intensity, and variability of rain and snow due to climate change will likely have a greater impact on regional water supplies. Himalayan Glaciers: Climate Change, Water Resources, and Water Security makes recommendations and sets guidelines for the future of climate change and water security in the Himalayan Region. This report emphasizes that social changes, such as changing patterns of water use and water management decisions, are likely to have at least as much of an impact on water demand as environmental factors do on water supply. Water scarcity will likely affect the rural and urban poor most severely, as these groups have the least capacity to move to new locations as needed. It is predicted that the region will become increasingly urbanized as cities expand to absorb migrants in search of economic opportunities. As living standards and populations rise, water use will likely increase-for example, as more people have diets rich in meat, more water will be needed for agricultural use. The effects of future climate change could further exacerbate water stress. Himalayan Glaciers: Climate Change, Water Resources, and Water Security explains that changes in the availability of water resources could play an increasing role in political tensions, especially if existing water management institutions do not better account for the social, economic, and ecological complexities of the region. To effectively respond to the effects of climate change, water management systems will need to take into account the social, economic, and ecological complexities of the region. This means it will be important to expand research and monitoring programs to gather more detailed, consistent, and accurate data on demographics, water supply, demand, and scarcity
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The report tries to capture the relevant issues for Indian Water Sector in the context of changing climate
. It briefly reviews international situation in the context of the four pillars of climate change response that are used in international climate change framework: adaptation, mitigation, technology and economic/ financial issues. It takes a look at the official programmes and projects of governments in water sector. It includes some local options and success stories in water and agriculture in India in the context of changing climate
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The WEPA's (Water Environment Partnership in Asia) Outlook has been designed to provide basic information on the status and management of the water environment in each WEPA partner country, and to make this information available to the public in one platform as a source of knowledge to promote good water quality governance in the region
. The Outlook, which was first published during the 5th World Water Forum in 2009, may also serve as a useful reference for those who are striving to solve water quality issues in other countries in the world
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This document contains the presentation by A
. A. Nambi, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai, on “Living with Climate Change: Role of Community Based Adaptation” during Second National Research Conference on Climate Change, organized by the Centre for Science and Environment, IIT Delhi and IIT Madras on November 5-6, 2011 at New Delhi
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Water Resource of Nepal in the Context of Climate Change is an attempt to show impacts of climate change on one of the important sector of life, water resource
. Water is considered to be a vehicle to climate change impacts and hence needs to be handled carefully and skillfully. The report is intended to present scenario of the impacts on water resource which is though challenging because water availability, quality of stream flow is sensitive to temperature and precipitation
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This report aims to open up a dialogue on water challenges in the Hindu-Kush Himalaya region, an issue that could put the lives and livelihoods of millions of people at risk in the foreseeable future
. The region, referred to by some as the “third pole” because it contains the largest area of frozen water outside the polar regions, is the source of ten major river systems that together provide water for 1.3 billion people – over 20% of the world’s population. This regional water system is already under considerable stress and could be involved in future crises such as disputes over dams and river diversions, floods, water shortages and contamination
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The Situation Analyses of the Wami and Ruvu (including coastal rivers) sub-basins were produced as separate analyses of the status, conditions and key issues affecting ecosystems in each basin using existing available information
. The analyses provide information on natural resources (including water), socio-economic issues and the governance structure of water resource management. The purpose of each situation analysis is to provide an assessment that will be sufficiently adequate for priority themes or areas for actions to be developed in each basin according to the objectives of the National Water Sector Development Programme. This situation analysis will be used as background material for proposed project interventions. Data and information were derived from literature review and interviews carried out with key stakeholders in the Wami and Ruvu basins. The interviews were semi-structured and aimed to determine activities as well as challenges and opportunities in hot spot areas of the sub-basin
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With a large percentage of the world’s population moving to urban areas, clean, affordable and timely supply of drinking and domestic water to its residents has become a priority
. In most cities of the world, the primary responsibility of supplying drinking and domestic water lies with public utilities. It is a well known fact that water utilities around the world suffer from a series of ailments like poor cost recovery, poor and intermittent supply, and deficit budgets.
In recent times significant efforts have been made to reform water utilities through supporting policy changes, public-private partnerships and multi-stakeholder dialogue processes. However some of the most successful models have demonstrated that it is the public utilities themselves that have been able to bring about the much-needed change such as Porto Alegro in Brazil, Kampala in Uganda and Phnom Penh in Cambodia.
This publication shares the reform process undertaken in Phnom Penh that has catapulted a war-torn dilapidated water utility into an efficient and profit making utility.
This positive transformation has been possible due to enabling policies and political support, granting autonomy to the water utility, appointing a visionary leader and motivated workforce, bringing in efficiency within the system and involving various stakeholders in the process.
The PPWSA has shown that it is possible for reforms to become successful if the governance framework is supportive and public utilities can make profits or at least break-even, with affordable tariffs and timely supply of water
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