[Reader-list] Fwd: SANDRP new report: Water Options for India in a Changing Climate

[Nagraj Adve]

A new significant report from SANDRP, Delhi. The report is available
at the link provided below.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Himanshu Thakkar <ht.sandrp at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:39:57 +0530
Subject: PR on SANDRP new report: Water Options for India in a Changing Climate

                                                                  *

*PRESS RELEASE                                             March 21, 2012*

*World Water Day 2012*

*SANDRP new report on *

*Water Options for India in a Changing Climate*



On the eve of the World Water Day 2012, the South Asia Network on Dams,
Rivers & People (SANDRP) is happy to publish its new report: *Water Sector
Options for India in a Changing Climate**. *The report highlights that for
the poorest sections, also most vulnerable in the climate change context,
the water, food, livelihood and energy security, closely linked with the
environment security, is already getting severely affected in the changing
climate. It is well known that water is the medium through which climate
change impacts are most dominant. South Asia is considered possibly the
most vulnerable region in terms of number of people that would be affected
by climate change impacts, and within South Asia, India has the largest
vulnerable population. The importance of understanding the Water Sector
Options in such a situation cannot be underestimated. The report highlights
the options for coping and mitigating climate change challenges in water
sector in India.



This report tries to capture the relevant issues for Indian Water Sector in
the context of changing climate. The 93+ix page report divided in 12
chapters (including on Rainfall, Himalayan Glaciers, Groundwater, Rivers,
Floodplains, Wetlands and water bodies, Big Water Infrastructure,
Agriculture, Urban water options and Positive local water adaptation
cases). It includes a case study each on Organic Farming (by Shripad
Dharmadhikary) and on Forest-Agriculture settings in Western Ghats (by Dr
Latha Anantha and S Unnikrishnan).



The report concludes that Climate change offers a unique opportunity to
revisit our water resources development and management Plans, policies and
practices. It also provides an opportunity to learn lessons from past
approaches to development and management in a credible way. The purpose for
a revamped water management strategy in changing climate could be that of
equitable, sustainable, participatory, decentralised, democratic and
transparent approach to water management; an approach based on sound
knowledge and data to make decisions. Further, this approach would need to
include a protection strategy for the rivers, forests, wetlands, water
bodies, biodiversity, critical ecological habitats and groundwater
reserves, as well as demand side management measures, along with a
definition of the clear linkages between these domains. In water scarce
situations, all demands cannot be sacrosanct, and there is a need to
prioritise the just use of water with right based approach that includes
right to drinking water, livelihoods and health. The final chapter gives a
list of recommendations in this context.



The opportunities provided by climate change are still within reach. India,
with the world’s largest water infrastructure also has the biggest
performance deficit in terms of what that infrastructure can deliver and
what it is delivering now. Groundwater is India’s water lifeline and
opportunity beckons to make it sustainable, in the changing climate when
demands and losses would go up. Our foodgrains requirements and water for
the same would go up, but there are huge opportunities like increasing soil
moisture holding capacity, taking up chauka systems in grazing lands,
organic farming, System of Rice Intensification, also applicable to other
crops on the one hand and water saving crops like millets on the other.
Glaciers *are* melting, the IPCC glacier-gate notwithstanding, but we have
the options of creating large number of local storages and also using
underground aquifer storage space. Urban water demands are going up and
will put greater pressures in future, but we also have the slew of hardly
explored options including local water harvesting, protection of local
water systems, achieving proper sewage treatment and recycling,
participatory governance, among others.



Some of the sections of Indian population that are most vulnerable to the
impact of climate change in the context of water and agriculture include:
farmers dependent on rainfed agriculture, coastal populations, communities
from Himalayas, Eastern & Western Ghats, Fisher-folks, Adivasis, Dalits,
Rural populations, Urban Poor and Women. Any climate action needs to begin
with identifying and listing such sections and than proceeding to prepare
plans in a participatory way that would reduce their vulnerabilities
through mitigation and adaptation. India’s National Action Plan for Climate
Change, or the National Agriculture and Water Missions do not take this
first crucial step and hence have remained directionless, ineffective and
have not inspired much confidence.



Are we using these options and opportunities? If we go by the contents of
the National Action Plan for Climate Change, National Water Mission,
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, National Mission for
Himalayan Ecosystems and also the 12th Plan documents, including the
direction of 12th Plan indicated in the Union Budget for 2012-13, the
answer is, unfortunately, in the negative. But we hope better sense
prevails and the existing opportunities and options also highlighted in
this report would be given heed to.



The World celebrates March 22 as the World Water Day, following the
recommendation of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED). As the World prepares for the Rio + 20 conference in
Brazil later this year, the theme of the World Water Day 2012 is Water and
Food security (see: http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/about.html). In
reality, there is a close nexus between water, food, energy *and environment
* security. The Bonn meeting organised in Nov 2011 (see:
http://www.water-energy-food.org/en/home.html), floated the theme that
there is a nexus between water, food and energy security. This was welcome,
but it forgot to add the crucial fourth leg of this nexus, namely
ENVIRONMENT SECURITY, without which none of the other three pillars are
secure. The India Water Week 2012, to be held during April 10-14, 2012 with
theme (Water, Energy and Food Security Call for Solutions, see:
http://www.indiawaterweek.in/) almost identical to that of Bonn conference,
also needs to remember not to forget the fourth leg of this nexus. Truly
democratic governance holds the key to address these issues.



The soft copy of the report is available at:
http://sandrp.in/wtrsect/Water_Sector_Options_India_in_Changing_Climate_0312.pdf,
the executive summary of the report is available at:
http://sandrp.in/wtrsect/Ex_Summary_WATER_SECTOR_OPTIONS_FOR_INDIA_IN_CHANGING_CLIMATE_MARCH_2012.pdf.
The Hard copy of the report can be ordered by writing to ht.sandrp at gmail.com.


*Himanshu Thakkar (ht.sandrp at gmail.com) *

*www.sandrp.in*

*Ph: 27484655/ 9968242798*

-- 
Himanshu Thakkar

South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People,
c/o 86-D, AD block, Shalimar Bagh,
Delhi 110088, India

himanshuthakkar at iitbombay.org, ht.sandrp at gmail.com
www.sandrp.in
www.facebook.com/sandrp.in