Climate change impacts on the water sector

Abstract

The regional impacts of global climate and socio-economic change will heavily influence the future balance of water availability (supply side) and water demand in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago de Chile (MRS). Reduced run-off in the Maipo-Mapocho river catchment coupled with natural precipitation variability will pose a major challenge for water resource management in the coming years. This chapter elaborates on an impact assessment for the year 2050, which combines two climate scenarios for the supply side with two explorative socio-economic scenarios for the demand side. While adaptive measures for water supplies also involve increasing water storage or recycling grey water in the urban area, adaptive options for water demand focus on upgrading water efficiency in both agriculture and private domestic households. In addition to technical aspects, institutional/policy-based matters and capacity development measures are considered.