Climate Change Adaptation for Sustainable Management of Water in India: Issues and Challenges

Abstract

The cascading effects of the increasing global temperatures have the potential to affect almost every area of life. Their impacts on the ecology, economy and the survival of human society are interconnected. However, water is the medium through which these impacts are experienced immediately and directly. Hence, one of the key priorities of adaptation is to prevent water-related disasters and maintain the sustainable management of water. This chapter, therefore, addresses some of the challenges of climate change for sustainable management of water in India and identifies key issues and challenges in addressing this concern. It discusses the various approaches to adaptation, such as bottom-up and top-down approaches, and then sets this in the context of adaptation in India by giving examples from two Himalayan states, namely, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh. The chapter thereby highlights some of the key issues and opportunities of climate change adaptation for sustainable management of water, which are relevant for policymakers and water management institutions as well as researchers.