Water for growth and development in the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna basins : an economic perspective
Date
2015-03
Authors
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Publisher
International Journal of River Basin Management
Abstract
The Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna (GBM) river system flows through five countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal – characterized by large population, limited land resources, and frequent floods and natural hazards. Although the GBM region is well endowed with water sources, this is one of the poorest regions in the world. Its economy and human and environmental health depend on water, and water is thus at the
heart of sustainable development, economic growth, and poverty reduction. This paper examines the opportunities for, and potential socio-economic benefits of, water resource management in the GBM region in the face of changing climate. It argues that water can be an entry point for addressing challenges common to the region, particularly through multi-purpose river projects that store monsoon water, mitigate the effects of floods and droughts, augment dry season river flows, expand irrigation and navigation facilities, generate hydropower, and enhance energy and environmental security. The
paper emphasizes the importance of effective regional cooperation in water management to achieve these benefits. Upstream–downstream interdependencies necessitate development of a shared river system in an integrated and collaborative manner.
Description
This study was part of Koshi Basin Programme of ICIMOD funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of Australia and Himalayan Adaptation,Water and Resilience (HI-AWARE) programme of ICIMOD funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The author also gratefully acknowledges the support of core donors of ICIMOD: the Governments of Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
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Journal Article (peer-reviewed)
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Keywords
WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, REGIONAL COOPERATION, GANGES, BRAHMAPUTRA AND MEGHNA BASINS, UPSTREAM-DOWNSTREAM LINKAGES, INDIA, BANGLADESH, BHUTAN, CHINA
Citation
Golam Rasul (2015), Water for growth and development in the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna basins: an economic perspective, International Journal of River Basin Management, 13:3, 387-400, DOI: 10.1080/15715124.2015.1012518