Sustainability of water resources in tropical regions in the face of climate change

Abstract

The most important impacts of climate change will be exerted on water resources. In Mexico, due to environmental conditions, human factors, and water uses, different degrees of social vulnerability will take place because of the increased temperature, decreased precipitation, and higher recurrence of extreme events projected to take place in the second half of the twenty-first century. Based on these considerations, this chapter presents the case study of the Grijalva River basin, the largest dam system used for hydropower generation in Mexico. Using temperature and precipitation scenarios, the impacts of climate change on sea level rise, the production of electricity, and water quality and availability are analyzed. Finally, it presents some adaptation measures that contribute to reduce the vulnerability of societies living in the Grijalva River basin.