Estimated Per Capita Water Usage Associated with Different Levels of Water Scarcity Risk in Arid and Semiarid Regions

Water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions is a great economic, environmental and social problem, where the people living in these regions have to use technologies, such as cistern, to ensure water for their survival. Given the difficulties in these regions, this paper aims to propose a methodology to estimate per capita water use for different levels of water shortage risk, ensuring water supply under the conditions of arid and semi-arid regions; and present a case study for the Brazilian semi-arid region. The methodology is based on analysis of spatial and temporal risks of water shortage in the cisterns. Analysis of the temporal risk of water shortage is based on the premise that the cistern is without water for 3 consecutive days with return periods of 5, 10 and 20 years. To ascertain the spatial risk of per capita water use associated with these return periods in hydrologically homogeneous regions, we evaluate the confidence interval associated with the average monthly water use. Thus, the proposed methodology allows to determine the potential water use in each homogeneous region. For the Brazilian semiarid region it is possible to identify the areas where local population has a greater restriction on the access to water (central semiarid region) and areas where there is greater water availability (north and south of the semi-arid). This variation of water availability allows to adapt management measures accounting for the ground conditions of each location, in order to meet the water needs of the local population.     

On the Barriers to Adaption to Less Water under Climate Change: Policy Choices in Mediterranean Countries

Barriers and constraints to adapting water resources management to climate change in the Mediterranean region are analysed in this paper. First, we analysed the risks to the water resources sector derived from climate change. We then identified the main objective of water adaptation measures: ensuring there is enough water for food, for people, and for ecosystems. This implies visions about availability - being sufficient water -, accessibility - both physical and economic access -, and adequacy - being safe for ecosystems and human consumption. A portfolio of local and collective actions to adapt water management for agriculture to climate change in Mediterranean countries is presented. Adaptation strategies included improved efficiency, optimisation of governance, enhancement of participation, development of risk-based choices, and economic instruments. Finally, the paper categorised the constraints to implement the measures, give specific examples about these issues and also quantify their impact. When considering constraints and opportunities to implement these water management practices, any environmental policy regulating their adoption should be based on recommending the use of extension and training to local actors on the application of the practices.     

Managing Water Resources to Adapt to Climate Change: Facing Uncertainty and Scarcity in a Changing Context

Some of the most significant future efforts in water resources management will be devoted to climate change adaptation. Climate change adaptation is of special concern in regions facing water scarcity where water management is already challenged by many problems. This paper is a review of current knowledge on approaches to address water issues under uncertainty in water-scarce regions, identifying specific policy actions for climate change adaptation. The focus is on regions, like the Mediterranean, California or Australia, where water resources are well developed and have become an essential part of socioeconomic activities but are currently facing significant challenges due to their dependence on water availability to maintain living standards. We provide an overview of the expected impacts of climate change on water resources and discuss management responses based on peer-reviewed studies published over the past three decades. The adaptation choices cover a wide range of options, from adaptive demand management to utilization of remaining marginal water sources. The intensification of successful measures already applied in the past is still viewed as a solution to reduce climate impacts. However, the emphasis is progressively being placed on sustainability, developing and extending the water management paradigm to include not only technical and economic criteria, but also ecological and social considerations.     

Drought Management Plans in the European Union. The Case of Spain

Water is a strategic resource for the economic, social and environmental development. However, water scarcity and droughts are current challenges to this growth, as it is reflected in European Union (EU) water policies, and in national and regional growing initiatives. In addition, these water related issues could worsen by climate change effects, adding pressure to already water stressed areas. This paper presents a general overview of drought management in the European Union, reviews scientific and technical advances, the status of implementation of policy tools and focuses on drought management plans. It analyses the specific case of Spain, a country characterised by presenting a high irregularity in temporal and spatial distribution of water resources and numerous areas affected by water scarcity and droughts. Details are presented on the National Drought Indicator System and drought management plans approved in 2007 in Spain, which represent strategic tools with positive results in drought warning and impact mitigation respectively.     

Assessment of Future Water Scarcity at Different Spatial and Temporal Scales of the Brahmaputra River Basin

Climate change is one of the main driving forces that affect both the temporal and spatial variability of water availability. Besides climatic change, current demographic trends, economic development and related land use changes have direct impact on increasing demand for freshwater resources. Taken together, the net effect of these supply and demand changes has led to a growing water scarcity in major international river basins. The Brahmaputra River Basin is one of the most vulnerable areas in the world, as it is subject to combined effect of climate change and development pressures. A robust assessment of water scarcity considering both climatic and socio-economic changes is therefore vital for policy makers of the basin. In this study, we analyze future water scarcity of the Brahmaputra Basin in a geographically and temporally detailed manner, incorporating several novel approaches: (i) the application of consistent set of scenarios to estimate future water scarcity; (ii) estimation of water demand in terms of both water withdrawals and consumptive water use; (iii) comparison of water demand and availability on different temporal scales i.e., yearly, seasonal and monthly rather than only annual basis. (iv) assessment of groundwater recharge affected by climate change together with future demands for groundwater abstraction. Although the Brahmaputra Basin is one of the water abundant regions of the world, our analysis illustrates that during dry season water scarcity for the Basin will become more severe in the coming decades, which requires special attention to the decision makers of the authority.     

Eco-political Decision-making and Confidence-building Measures in the Development of International Rivers

One of the most important resources for socioeconomic development in arid and semi-arid countries is water, and its scarcity in the Middle East has been a key factor in war and peace-making.As water shortages occur and full utilization is reached, water policies tend to be framed more and more in zero-sum terms, adding to the probability of discord. The aim of this study is to provide some innovative technological answers to the fundamental questions of how to sustain the water supply without causing diverse effects on the ecosystem both now and for the 21st century. This paper evaluates several non-conventional approaches highlighting the economic and environmental gains of co-generation applications that would have the potential to resolve this persistent problem, and thus contribute towards peace among the water users in the Middle East. Priority of development projects including viability of (1) the strategic use of such resources as brackish water, seawater and reclaimed wastewater, and (2) the transboundary transport of water is preliminarily evaluated by taking into account the four feasibility elements 'technical', 'environment', 'economy' and 'politics'. Water conservation and management including water pricing scenarios are essential confidence-building measures to manage the water resources in the region. In this circumstance, non-conventional strategic alternatives including desalination and reuse of treated wastewater will become significantly important in water resources development to supply new additional fresh waters in the 21st century.     

区域水资源利用压力分析评价

水资源利用压力指数可用来衡量一个区域的水资源相对稀缺性,并判断水资源是否成为社会经济发展的制约因素.基于"压力-状态-响应"概念模型在经济、环境、生态综合评价指标体系中的应用,从人口数量压力、水资源数量压力、水环境压力、水资源技术压力、水资源用水管理压力的角度,建立了水资源利用压力指标体系.通过对全国223个地市水资源利用压力的计算分析,该指标体系定量反映了水资源与人口、经济、环境之间的协调关系,验证了所构建的水资源利用压力指标的合理性,为区域水资源可持续利用提供理论参考.     

A Metric Model on Identifying the National Water Scarcity Management Ability

Our planet is getting thirstier and thirstier. Water scarcity has become an increasingly hard but urgent problem. The world's water situation engenders little optimism. About one quarter of the world's population is experiencing water scarcity. Moreover, water resources are unevenly distributed and extremely scarce in Africa and the Middle East. Water scarcity further incurs many international issues such as international conflicts, environmental refugees and disease caused by water pollution, which have made a more unstable world. To make contributions to solve the water problems, this study proposed a metric model to identify the ability of each country to manage water scarcity, and offered solutions to a country considered water over-loaded. In this paper, we developed our metric, Total Scarcity Metric, and divided it into Physical Scarcity Metric ( affected by environmental factors and population) and Economic Scarcity Metric ( affected by social factors other than population) by the two causes of water scarcity. This paper made some adjustments to an indicator we found widely-used in the literatures, and determine Physical Scarcity Metric based on it. Based on that result, Pakistan was chose as a sample region for further analysis, and Pakistan still has a long way to go. This model will prove to be advantageous for a region’s authoritative figures to consult with when in pursuit of obtaining a higher level of water resources allocation. It also can serve as a public rationale to support certain superficially incomprehensive judgments made by the administration.     

Water Scarcity Impacts and Potential Conflicts in the MENA Region

Abstract

The failure of water resources to meet the basic requirements of society has a host of social, economic, environmental, and political impacts. This paper addresses those impacts with particular reference to the region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Water scarcity is a manmade phenomenon brought about by the increasing demands of the population for water. The imbalance in the population-water resources equation strains society and has an adverse impact on domestic hygiene, public health, and cost of domestic water, and could impart political problems as serious as bringing down governments. On the social side, water scarcity adversely impacts job opportunities, farm incomes, credibility and reliability of agricultural exports, and the ability of the vulnerable to meet the cost of domestic water. Economically, the adverse impact is displayed in the loss of production of goods, especially agricultural goods, the loss of working hours because of the hardships society faces as a result of water scarcity. The impacts of water scarcity on regional stability are addressed with reference to water in the Middle East Peace Process. Finally, the serious impacts of conflicts and potential water wars are discussed. Water, energy, and environment are triplets. The eventual solution to water scarcity lies in the invention of an energy generating technology that renders the cost of power affordable by societies and that does not impart serious environmental problems.     

Political and Professional Agency Entrapment: An Agenda for Urban Water Research

The many societal benefits provided by traditional, centralised urban water servicing models are being re-examined following recent extreme weather events, climate uncertainty and other variable socio-technical trends. Total water cycle management offers a more flexible and resilient approach to urban water management, however, transformative change in the sector is difficult. A growing number of scholars have identified that the urban water sector is locked-in to the current large-scale, centralised infrastructure model and suggest the sector is unable to accommodate new technologies and management approaches beyond niche projects. Based on extensive socio-institutional research and example cases from Australian and United Kingdom experiences managing urban water under pressures such as modern environmentalism, prolonged water scarcity and sewerage overflows, this paper provides a commentary on common factors exhibited in both countries related to technological path dependency. Three key factors promoting this pathway: political risk, professional agency fear and a lack of a hybrid governance approach are discussed and a future scholarly research agenda is presented.