Adaptation to Climate Change through Water Resources Management

Climate change will further exacerbate the already significant stress on water resources globally. This book brings together a range of interesting case studies from the developed and developing world, showcasing adaptation strategies. They should provide useful lessons to others trying to find adaptive solutions to climate change impacts. - Ute Collier, Climate Change Expert, UK. Stucker and Lopez-Gunn have assembled an outstanding volume illustrating how effective water management is already helping to adapt to climate change. Conceptually rigorous, multi-scale in focus, and empirically rich, their book distils important lessons for key stakeholders to implement the next generation of water sector adaptation policies. - Tom Deligiannis, University of Western Ontario, Canada. Global warming and associated changes in rainfall, evaporation and water availability now appear to be inevitable. If adaptation to the changing conditions is to be successful, careful management conforming with local circumstances is required. These studies from a wide range of countries provide a perceptive introduction to an evolving subject of fundamental importance. - Dick Grove, Fellow, Downing College, University of Cambridge, UK. Few myths in climate change research have produced more errors than assuming that society cannot adapt. In the view of Stucker and Lopez-Gunn, the essential thing about society is not that it needs to adapt to climate change, but how it adapts. Their book appears at a critical point as we face a crisis over how water resources will meet the needs of a growing population and of essential ecosystems. Its most important message is that society must and will adapt to changes in water resources. It is a rich book, full of data. It reflects on an essential theme: the idea of complexity. This idea is persuasive and at least a partial explanation of what adaptation is about. The book includes an interesting analysis of case studies from four continents, presenting different aspects of adaptation literature, the models used, and the understanding of agricultural systems in many parts of our planet. The contribution builds on the scholarly knowledge and clearly complements the recent IPCC (2014) report. The adaptation issue is now adopting an increasingly dominant intellectual style and includes exceptional contributions from the social sciences. This book reflects on the difficulty of representing the relevant socio-hydrological system through a set of simplifications. 20 case studies analyze the ability of water resources to adapt to climate change. Throughout the chapters, the authors argue repeatedly that adaptation can be effective in response to the threats posed by climate change, capturing a full range of adaptation pathways. The case study lessons are particularly suited to inform policy and will remain important. The rich data highlights the diversity of challenges faced between locations and hydrological systems in developed and developing countries. This may serve to support analysis of the factors that have influenced or are likely to influence adaptation of water resources. Beyond this book, I personally feel Stucker and Lopez-Gunn are making great contributions to the analysis of climate change adaptation. Their work will remain influential by challenging more static views on society. - Ana Iglesias, Technical University of Madrid and IPCC Editor, Spain. This book is not only intended for academics but also for policy makers and practitioners at large, written in an easy language. It is a nice effort because it gives voice to young academics all over the world and how they see adaptation from the perspective of their own country and expertise. The issues addressed are pertinent for ensuring implementation of adaptation to climate change which is a weakness in many countries. I am sure the case studies provide necessary bench marks for many efforts of implementation. - Eiman Karar, Executive Director, Water Resources Management, Water Research Commission, South Africa. The world has always been wet in some places and dry in others. Climate change will magnify this uneven distribution of water, our most important natural resource. This book asks a different question though: can we mobilize the even more important human resource of wisdom to secure our water future with equity? The answer is not a foregone conclusion, but a decisive maybe. It won't tilt toward yes until decision-makers at all levels realize they are deciding the lives and livelihoods of real people. - Susanne Moser, Director, Susanne Moser Research Consulting, and Social Science Research Fellow, Stanford University, USA. Considering the imminence of climate change effects on human life and our relative slow respond to the thread, this book raises one of the key issues. Will we succeed to learn from our weaknesses and strengths to manage change? The lessons and insights from the water resources field displayed herein are powerful and compelling. And they are tackled from an crucially important dual perspective, the need for management to be set on sustainable and equitable tracks not only because of concerns of justice but also because this ensures its future viability. - Mario Negre, Senior Researcher, German Development Institute. A dramatic change to the way in which we have historically managed water resources will be absolutely critical to meeting the climate change adaptation challenge, and this book is an excellent addition to the body of knowledge that will drive effective and equitable management of a more volatile future. Drawing on a range of talented researchers, this stimulating book clearly lays out both the challenges and opportunities for adapting to climate change impacts. Focusing on water management, but also bringing in a number of closely related topics such as social justice, health and livelihoods, this book presents a number of compelling adaptation strategies that will help us move towards a more resilient and sustainable future. Adaptation to Climate Change through Water Resources Management is essential reading for researchers, practitioners and decision-makers alike. - Louise Whiting, Senior Policy Analyst (Water Security and Climate Change), WaterAid, UK.