Tipaimukh Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project

Moving ahead from the freshwater reservoir versus climate change debate, the Indo-Bangla controversy over the Tipaimukh Project exists over the right of riparian states. India needs more energy to propel its economic growth, whereas Bangladesh is worried about downstream impact. The concerns of Bangladesh are based on the experience of severe water shortage and other impacts of Farakka Barrage and Teesta Barrage and also Himalayan Component of the Interlinking of River Project. Over the years some progress was made at bilateral level. But the major problem remains unaddressed i.e. without reconciling the issues of indigenous people a big dam cannot be constructed. This paper highlighted the existing scenario of Bangladesh and the indigenous people of Manipur in India in one hand and ecological, socio-economic concern in other hand i.e. obligation not to cause significant harm. There is no straight way answers available to be choose between a ‘Yes' or ‘No'; neither depends on the issues of ‘might' over ‘right' or ‘development' over ‘destruction', but on the circumstances to come.

Role of Water-Energy-Waste Inter-Relatedness to Drive Sustainability amid Climate Concerns

The Sustainability value parity framework is proposed to deepen the understanding of the importance of ‘inter-relatedness' of water-energy-waste with the goal of balancing water usage, aligning energy intensity and optimizing waste utilization. Generic waste that is burgeoning is a deterrent to the practice of sustainability that aligns water, energy, infrastructure, health, food, and lifestyle (Sachs, 2007). This chapter delineates the gap between globalization at the macro-level and global citizenry at the grassroots-base and posits a value bridge assessed by appropriate thresholds of water - energy - waste. The emergent need to strengthen climate resilience and to usher into the sustainable pathway of climate-proofed development needs tuning of processes, lifestyle, hazardous substances and consumption. Climate change manifests as an over-arching risk that is strewn with unpredictability, multiple dimensions, uncertainties, spikes, imbalances leading to inequity.

Entangled Systems at the Energy-Water-Food Nexus

This chapter assesses energy, water, and food resource systems based on their inter- and intra-sectoral imperatives of large scale development investments at the institutional level (including private and public activities) and how to achieve security of resource supplies. It identifies key interrelated processes, practices, and factors that underpin integrated resource management (IRM) and their attendant benefits. Applying the E4 framework concerned with energy, economy, environment, and equity to identify the main threats to these systems, the chapter evaluates their institutional, political, economic, cultural and behavioral components, and characterizes the forces that drive each of them at different governance scales. The chapter is guided by political economy, economic, and sociological theories that suggest that institutional structures affect economic factors and processes (i.e. production, distribution, and consumption processes). A case study of energy, water, and food (EWF) conflicting sectoral imperatives in Delaware is discussed in detail to better understand how these policy and institutional processes occur, which forms they take, and in which ways they define the quality and quantity of EWF resource systems in the State. In order to verify these parameters, the analysis considered the advantages of a sectorally balanced, E4 framework, in particular to evaluate the valency and magnitude of cross-sectoral connections, balance competing needs, and identify policy options that address various trade-offs.

Issues, Concerns, and Local Stakes

Coastal Maharashtra is in transition. Growing coastal tourism and allied developmental activities along southern Maharashtra coast needs integration of various stakeholders to address the various issues and concerns. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), which can cater to the needs of people while preserving the environment is thus need of the hour. The effects on natural resources, including water, will change the socioeconomic as well as the cultural fabric of coastal communities. This chapter explores a holistic approach to the developmental issues and the impact of climate change on the coastal region with specific cases of villages of Devbag and Tarkarli, coastal Maharashtra, India. It explores both physical and socioeconomic landscapes with special attention given to water resources in the context of changing dynamics of coastal communities and coastal tourism. The chapter discusses the issues and concerns of villages of Devbag and Tarkarli and proposes solutions for a sustainable development.

Traditional Water Management System for Climate Change Adaptation in Mountain Ecosystems

The physical characteristics and geographical isolation of mountain ecosystems in Himachal Pradesh has contributed towards a practice of cooperation and development of traditional knowledge among local communities. Over the centuries these traditional knowledge has been used to manage resource scarcities and adapt to vulnerabilities by the local population for over many generations. This paper describes one of such traditional ‘Farmers Managed Irrigation System' (FMIS) practice, Kuhl, it's an open channel irrigation system to capture and transfer fresh snowmelt water from the glaciers to the agricultural fields in the valley. The characteristic of the local water management institution (structure, participation, process and governance) has been studied to understand their performance and success in managing water rights over the centuries. Lastly, the paper discusses the relevance of traditional water management against the backdrop of climate change, present status and issues related to the continuance of the Kuhl system and recommendations thereof.

Recent Trends, Issues, and Challenges in Water Resource Development and Global Climate Change

Climate change impacts are being felt in many parts of the world and have become an issue of major concern. Tropical countries particularly those in the Asian region are at greater risk and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as indicated by the report of IPCC. With regard to India there are several impacts forecast which could have adverse consequences on the natural resources and ecosystems of the country making them vulnerable and reducing their capacity to cope with a changing climatic regime. This introductory chapter of the book provides an insight to the recent trends, issues and challenges in water resource development in context to the global climate change.

Climate Change and Agriculture

This chapter is an attempt to study the impact of climate change on water and agricultural production in India and abroad. While analyzing best practices in climate change adaptation and water management, the chapter examines regional issues and challenges. Policy interventions, success stories and new initiatives to tackle drought, boost rained agriculture as well as increase the irrigation potential have been studied together with the need for necessary course corrections. Leveraging technology for crop forecasting, inter-State river water disputes and measures needed to resolve them in the light of international experience are other areas of focus. In fine, the chapter calls for a comprehensive water policy that will not only recognize water as a national resource but also help bridge all differences for making world a worthy place to live in. The research methodology adopted in this chapter is primarily historical-analytical. Research papers, journal articles, official reports and newspaper clippings have all been consulted for analysis and interpretation.

Participation Framework to Sustainability

The topic of bottled water is particularly timely since water crisis and waste plastics are shifting from one of problem-framing to what is much more concerned to climate agenda. As plastics are everywhere to make life possible for a faster and convenient pace of society, bottled water has become one of the most disposable products to be consumed and disposed of, on a regular basis, both at and away from home. These eventually translate to consumer wastes causing a profound impact to the environment. The more bottles mean more greenhouse gases from production, transportation, waste bottles management, including fresh water supply. These adverse impacts are compounding a framework to justify as to how producer and consumer apply, individually and within the whole product life cycle, to sustainable consumption and production practice (SCP).

An Approach to Sustainable Watershed Management

Western Maharashtra consists of drought prone villages, which around seventy years ago were facing drastic challenges regarding water requirements. People living in such areas started to migrate from these villages in need of food and water. The chapter focuses on few case studies of drought prone areas of Western Maharashtra which made a move towards sustainability and has created an excellent model of watershed projects. Several practices like ban on cutting trees, terrace farming, contour bunding, drip irrigation, sprinkle irrigation, introduction of cooking stoves, rotational grazing, efficient water distribution and change in cultivation of agricultural crops according to the climate were followed which led the village to become a model for Aadarsh Gaon (An Ideal Village). The author has used secondary data from previous research work and critically analyses the case studies on water management in drought prone areas of Western Maharashtra which managed to become a model for sustainable use of water.

Congo Basin's Shrinking Watersheds

Rainfall time series data from three sites (Kinshasa, Luki, and Mabali) in the western Democratic Republic of Congo were analyzed using regression analysis; rainfall intensities decreased in all three sites. The Congo Basin waters will follow the equation y = -20894x + 5483.16; R2 = 0.7945. The model suggests 18%-loss of the Congo Basin water volume and 7%-decrease for fish biomasses by 2025. Financial incomes generated by fishing will decrease by 11% by 2040 compared with 1998 levels. About 51% of women (N= 408,173) from the Lake Tumba Landscape fish; their revenues decreased by 11% between 2005 and 2010. If this trend continues, women's revenues will decrease by 59% by 2040. Decreased waters will severely impact women (e.g. increasing walking distances to clean waters). Increasing populations and decreasing waters will lead to immigrations to this region because water resources will remain available and highly likely ignite social conflicts over aquatic resources.