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

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

DOI