Adaptation policy and practice in densely populated glacier-fed river basins of South Asia : a systematic review
Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer
Abstract
Rivers are the cultural, social and economic backbone of South Asia. Himalayan glaciers provide source water for Asian river systems, irrigating millions of hectares of fields, and supporting close to a billion people who live in their catchments. This paper reviews literature for three major glacier-fed river systems of South Asia—Brahmaputra, Ganga and Indus—to understand governance mechanisms for climate adaptation in the region. Policy ambiguity at the national level in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan raises questions about the capacity of the region to operationalize principles of adaptive governance. Better seasonal climate information and flood risk maps are essential.
Description
item.page.type
Journal Article (peer-reviewed)
item.page.format
Keywords
RIVER BASINS, GLACIERS, HOT SPOTS, CLIMATE POLICY, ADAPTIVE GOVERNANCE, SOUTH ASIA, MELTWATER, CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY, RIVERS, AFGHANISTAN, BHUTAN, NEPAL, PAKISTAN, INDIA
Citation
Sud, R., Mishra, A., Varma, N., & Bhadwal, S. (2015). Adaptation policy and practice in densely populated glacier-fed river basins of South Asia: a systematic review. Regional Environmental Change. doi:10.1007/s10113-014-0711-z