IWMI and collaborators at the Indian Institute of Technology have released a book titled "Water and Climate Change: an integrated approach to adaptation challenges," which assesses the likely effects of climate change on India's water resources.
The book identifies significant challenges to maintaining adequate supplies in the next few decades, but argues that these can be overcome through an integrated, multi-sectoral approach that takes into account water use from farm to river basin level.
3 February 2012: The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and collaborators at the Indian Institute of Technology have released a book titled “Water and Climate Change: an integrated approach to adaptation challenges,” as the culmination of the three-year Climawater project, funded by the Government of Norway.
The book catalogs the variety of potential climate change impacts to Indian water management. It notes the recent revolution in water management due to computer modeling and remote sensing technology, which have helped researchers understand watershed dynamics to improve decision making. The book identifies important challenges to maintaining adequate water supplies in the next few decades, but argues that these can be overcome through an integrated, multi-sectoral approach that takes into account water use from farm to river basin level, as well as increased investment in policy reform. It is based on years of research in the Godavari River Basin, spanning multiple states.
The book outlines recommendations, including: developing “low regret” (i.e. low risk, simple and practical) policies; improving and sharing water databases; improving information dissemination; and building capacity and awareness of climate change impacts. IWMI is a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). [IWMI Press Release]