Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment

This article discusses the impact of climate change on water resources and the environment. It covers the anthropogenic causes of climate change, the impacts of climate change on water resources, and adaptation and mitigation measures. The article also highlights the need for promoting clean energy use and reducing fossil burning to minimize the severity of climate change.

Running head:Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment1
Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment
Name
Institutional Affiliation

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment2
Executive summary
The importance associated with water use is immense on the society as well as the ecosystem.
The People rely on clean water supply to sustain health, for agriculture, production of energy,
recreation, manufacturing and navigation. The various use of that water put pressure on the water
resource but stresses on the use of water is projected to increase due to changes in change. water
pollution resulting from climate change has increased the demand of water by reducing water
supply sources. The drastic shift between water use and water pollution have been a serious
challenge to meet the requirements of the growing population as well as agriculture, energy
producers and the sensitive ecosystem. In some areas, climate change has caused increase in sea
level rise and runoff. Human activities have been the main driver of climate. Deforestation and
burning of fossil fuel have increased atmospheric greenhouse gases. Therefore, it is of
significance that mitigation and adaptive measures be taken to minimize climate change.
Promoting of clean energy use and reducing fossil burning are some of the measures to minimize
the severity of climate change. As much as the effects of climate are minimized, countries and
individuals should use water efficiently to reduce water stress.

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment3
Table of Contents
Executive summary.....................................................................................................................................2
Climate Change Impact on Water Resources Environment.........................................................................4
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4
Anthropogenic Causes of Climate Change..............................................................................................4
The Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources..................................................................................6
Adaptation and Mitigation Measure of Climate Change..........................................................................8
Influencing Policy.................................................................................................................................13
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................13
References.................................................................................................................................................13

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment4
Climate Change Impact on Water Resources Environment
Introduction
The change in climate has resulted to predominant environmental risks that are disturbing
the comfort of the world in the 21st century. In the last decade, climate change has been the most
contentious environmental issue in the ecology of politics. The greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere have been responsible for climate change which has in turn influenced water balance
due to changes in temperature, rainfall and evapotranspiration rates (Bodnar and De Graaff,
2013). The changes of climate change can have detrimental effects on water resource
availability.
Previously, climate varied naturally and scientists identified natural causes to be the
prime cause of short as well as long-term variability. The changes in the energy output from the
sun, the earth surface reflectivity, volcanic eruptions occurrence and the distribution of land and
ocean due to tectonic plate movement are the natural causes of climate (Bodnar and De Graaff,
2013). Initially, CO2 concentration changes and other greenhouses in the atmosphere have been
associated with the increase in climate change. Human activities are primary cause of greenhouse
gases accelerated through the burning of fossil fuel. Presently, the concentration of carbon
dioxide is likely to rise faster than the previous 20,000 years (Douglas et al., 2008). It is
projected climate change will rely on the number of greenhouse gases emitted in future.
Anthropogenic Causes of Climate Change
In most cases, climate change is governed by the influence of nature but human activities
also have an impact on it. The key impacts on climate are exerted through greenhouse gas
emission by humans. Another activity that influences climate is deforestation. Forests safeguard
the earth by absorbing a large amount of CO2 which contribute immensely to greenhouse gas that

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment5
causes climate change. Unfortunately, forests are currently destroyed at an alarming rate.
Logging and land clearing emit a huge amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. Clearing of land
diminishes the ability of those areas to absorb carbon dioxide. Actions should be shifted towards
mitigation of climate change to curb global warming increase (Drechsel et al., 2010). The
increase in temperature will cause devastating consequences on the surface of the earth. Climate
change is causing sea levels to rise, intense drought which is threatening crops, freshwater
supplies and wildlife (Bodnar and De Graaff, 2013). Climate change poses a fundamental impact
on the ecosystem, species and the livelihood of people.
Green carbon dioxide accumulation has been the main source of global warming.
According to Eriksson (2009), the recent warming and global warming that has brought
alteration on the earth surface has been contributed by human activities. The undeniable
contribution of human activities to global warming has been identified by the United Nation
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) in the climate change definition. The
UNFCC define climate change as a variation of climate contributed by human activities that
change the atmosphere composition (UNFCC, 2007). Ngigi et al., (2012) support this analysis by
further claiming that the observed changes in biological, physical systems and warming across
the world cannot be expressed wholly by other non-climate or factors natural variability.
The increased climate change has produced severe influences in numerous sectors that
range from human health to agriculture. Along the same line, the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change also highlights that recent effects of climate change occur on natural as well as
systems with adverse changes experienced in coastal areas (Pandey Gupta and Anderson, 2013).
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) of 2007 further explain that future
changes in climate change will be evident in variables of climate such as precipitation,

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment6
temperature, sea level changes as well as increased atmospheric CO2 concentration (Bates at al.,
2008). These impacts have been felt mainly on the coastal systems, health, ecosystems,
settlement and society, freshwater resources and their management as well as food. Revi (2008)
further indicate that the rise in the greenhouse gases levels attributed by human activities.
Several agreements on climate change have been established to form action plans for the
greenhouse emissions voluntary reduction at set levels. The Kyoto protocol was formed to
legally bind and minimizes emissions in the 38 developed countries in the protocol (Drechsel et
al., 2010). The developed countries that ratified to the Kyoto protocol had to execute measures to
minimize emissions of greenhouse gas alongside the three interventions of the Kyoto protocol
such as international Emissions Trading, Clean Development Mechanism as well as the Joint
Implementation (Drechsel et al., 2010).
The Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources
Climate change is closely linked with the hydrological cycle. There are extensive
scientific records that have shown an elevated climate change risk on water resources with
considerable effects. According to Sachs (2015), droughts and floods that affect water pollution,
as well as increased water quality, are some of the negative climate change effects. Water is an
important human need and is used for growing food, health, industry and irrigation. The changes
in climate change have started to decrease the availability of freshwater. The rising temperature
has led to a change in hydrological cycles which consequently have an impact on weather. This
has necessitated an increase in floods and drought. The changes have impacted on the
availability and quality of water. Some countries have already started experiencing water stress
because of the increased industrial pollution and population growth (Drechsel et al., 2010).
Adverse climate change has added problems to the water quality and in some part of the world it

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment7
has reduced rainfall due to temperature increase. It is projected that by 2025, water quality levels
will increase to approximately 34 per cent to 63 per cent (Drechsel et al., 2010).
It is likely that the environmental change expenses have exceeded the advantages of
water supply worldwide in future. This is because variation in rainfall is likely to increase
droughts, as well as floods which is anticipated. Drought risks will increase snowmelt-sustained
basins in the low-stream season (Bates et al., 2008). However, floods and droughts can be
tempered by the use of suitable infrastructure investments, water and land-use management
changes as much as implementation of these measures requires costs (Bates et al., 2008). The
developments of institutions, water infrastructure as well as usage patterns have been formed in
the current conditions context. The significant change in the occurrence of droughts and floods
require a few changes that might be expensive in fiscal terms as well as societal and
environmental effects, for example, the need to control potential conflict between the interested
gatherings.
The changes in the hydrological cycle may have positive impacts on some aspects and
negative impacts on other aspects. For instance, increased annual runoff may create benefits for
both out-of-stream and in stream water clients by expanding feasible water but also expanding
flood impact. In the past decade, wetter conditions have been evident in the southern part of
South America which has expanded a region immersed by floods (Bates et al., 2008). Besides,
enhanced crop yields in the Pampas region in Argentina, a chance for new commercial fishing
have been provided (Sachs, 2015). The areas with shallow water table have been damaged by the
increased runoff. In such regions, the rise in water table will distract agriculture as well as
destroy urban buildings.

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They yearly damage caused on shallow water table was evaluated to cost approximately 6
billion and it is likely to rise in future in Russia (Stern, 2011). On the other hand, the annual
runoff increase will cause the period of turbidity, pathogen and nutrient loadings in the surface
water resources. Higher temperatures and expanded fluctuation of precipitation will prompt an
increase in irrigation water demand, regardless of whether the aggregate precipitation amid
growing season continues as before (Bates et al., 2008). Climate change effect on ideal growing
periods has been demonstrated assuming no change in either inundated region or climate
changeability (Tabor, 2008).
Adaptation and Mitigation Measure of Climate Change
The main reason for mitigating climate change is to establish and enact measures that
minimize climate change extent. Climate change mitigation has a significant change on the earth
surface. The carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has exceeded 1000 ppm which is
beyond 450 ppm proposed by mitigation action scenario in Kyoto protocol (Tompkins and
Adger, 2014). The increasing CO2 will increase the global temperature to 6oC which will exceed
the proposed temperature of 2o C (Dyurgerov and Meier, 2015). Climate mitigation as well as
climate adaptation faces similar barriers. A balanced approach between climate adaptation and
climate mitigation should be reached to best deal with climate change situation. Some
comprehensive studies have pointed out the need to introduce climate mitigation measures to
reduce the greenhouse emissions by combating the key drivers of climate change (Dyurgerov
and Meier, 2015).
The destruction of forests, burning of fossil fuel and gas has been identified as the main
greenhouse gas emission source. However, reduction of the billion tons of atmospheric CO2
produced by mobile sources and stationery has been a difficult task that involves both high social

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment9
and financial costs. Therefore, there is a need to minimize greenhouse gases emissions by
decreasing the demand for fossil fuel while adopting clean energy (Howden Soussana and
Tubiello, 2012). The association between climate change mitigation and water is challenging.
Mitigation measures can have a greater influence on water resources when the options of
mitigation are not evaluated. This means that the policies of water management can have a
significant effect on greenhouse gas emissions.
The effects of Climate change are affecting both livelihoods as well economy of many
citizens in the world. The natural infrastructures that need adaptation are the floodplain, coasts
and river basins where water is managed. Individuals should be encouraged, permitted and
supported to enhance their ecosystem in a manner that ddgsupports both their livelihoods. They
should also be encouraged to adopt versatile limits, for example, securing wetlands for
hydrological administrations and food provision(Dyurgerov and Meier, 2015). Adequate health
and financial promotion, food security, water resources and ecosystem will enable various
individual to adapt to stressors of climate change.
Water managers have tried to deal with the changing demand of the water resource.
According to studies carried out by Kumar and Kandpal (2013), the natural resources base has
been consistent over the medium-term as well as the previous hydrological encounter give a
decent manual for future conditions. However, climate change challenges have affected water
management system reliability (Dyurgerov and Meier, 2015). Some of the reactions to manage
climate change involve new approaches development to assess the system design as well as
incorporating non-structural methods.
The water managers in Australia, the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Bangladesh as well as
the USA are addressing climate change implications as part of water supply and practices of

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment10
flood management (Dyurgerov and Meier, 2015). They have tried to alter the methods and
procedures such as designing standards as well as calculating climate change allowances. For
instance, UK and Netherland have applied such adaptation for flood preparedness, for water
distribution in the UK and for water planning by and large in Bangladesh (Matthews and Le
Quesne, 2009). The UK and Netherland have done this in preparation of climate change which
influences the procedures, investment designs and also prepares for uncertainties in the
projections of future hydrological changes (Dyurgerov and Meier, 2015). As much as adaptation
minimizes vulnerability, particularly in the short term, it should be linked to both economic and
social development.
Climate change adaptation comprises of procedures that consider climate change and its
fluctuation. The self-ruling adjustment is the most commonly utilized adjustment in developing
nations on the grounds that their day by day needs is an intense and future climate change in
these nations is an inaccessible concern(Dyurgerov and Meier, 2015). A portion of the self-ruling
adjustment utilized incorporate; re-establishing old or inadequately kept up water system offices
to enhance water productivity and value of access, restoring enthusiasm for customary water
harvesting frameworks to enhance family water supply and water system hones and also keeping
up and shaping wetlands to trap supplements and give nourishment and grub to individuals and
domesticated animals (Dyurgerov and Meier, 2015).
Some of the measures to be put into consideration to increase water supply as well as
ecosystem services are the expansion of rainwater harvesting to increase groundwater recharge
as well as rained cultivation. More so, adoption of water transfer schemes, increased storage by
the building of reservoirs and aquatic habitats and ecosystem services restoration are some of the
measures to increase ecosystem services as well as water supply(Dyurgerov and Meier, 2015).

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment11
The reduction of water request and expanded proficiency in water utilization is another
versatile proportion of climate change. Expulsion of intrusive non-obtrusive vegetation from the
riparian zones, utilization of dry season safe harvests and the improvement of water utilization
by water recycling are some of the steps to taken to minimize water demand. Improving the
management of irrigated agriculture, increase the utilization of monetary motivators to empower
water protection and urban and sanitation foundation change will diminish the interest for water
(Barnett, Adam and Lettenmaier, 2011). Enhanced flood insurance by the development of surge
assurance framework, riparian territories augmentation, upstream capacity, and wetland
reclamation and support and flood prediction improves water protection(Barnett, Adam and
Lettenmaier, 2011). It is worth noting that there are several limitations that limit adaptation
measure with regard to climate change.
The limitations that limit adaptive measure are physical, ecological, technical, social,
economic, cultural, and institutional, cognitive and informational limitations. With respect to
physical or ecological limitations, it is sometimes impossible to keep the impacts of climate
change through either specialized or institutional changes. For instance, it is very difficult to
adapt to where the river has dried completely(Barnett, Adam and Lettenmaier, 2011). Sometimes
the technical, political and social limitations make it difficult to find an acceptable site to build a
new reservoir or encouraging water user to consume less. Some of the adaptation strategies may
also be expensive in connection to the advantages accomplished by implementing it.
The institutional limitations include the inadequate priority to the management of water,
little coordination between agencies, ineffective governance and the future uncertainties over
climate change (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2010). On information limitation, the water
managers may not recognize climate water challenges and may give less priority as compared to

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment12
other challenges. Absence of access to techniques to adapt to environmental change is another
informational barrier.
The issue of climate change represents a calculated test to the water directors since it
presents vulnerability in future hydrological conditions. The hidden pattern might be hard to
recognize on the grounds that adaptation choices might be made before it is sure about how the
hydrological administrations are evolving. Even with climate change, water administration needs
to embrace a situation based methodology (Mills, 2015). Such practice is utilized in nations, for
example, UK and Australia. The problems that arise from this are the large differences in the
impact between scenarios and the demand for data on the probability of results happening with
the end goal to settle on hazard based choices integrated water resource management
It is noted that capturing the view of the society, reshaping the planning process,
perceiving water quality and amount linkages, the utilization of surface water and groundwater
by putting into consideration climate change are among the strategies that contribute to the
success of integrated water resources management (IWRM)(Barnett, Adam and Lettenmaier,
2011). The IWRM strategies also address barriers to information flow. It is not necessary to
implement a fully integrated approach but a suitable scale for integration depending on the
degree it encourages activity because of particular needs. Specifically, integrated approaches
applied to watermanagement resolve the conflicts that arise between the water users. The water
managers in the western USA have been trying different things with this strategy to advance
integrated- based basic leadership (Ayers, 2009). The managers have incorporated local
watershed initiatives to involve stakeholder in the planning processes. The initiatives always
encourage transactions between contending vested parties to take care of a commonly tasteful
issue that thinks about an expansive scope of elements.

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Environment13
Influencing Policy
The governments of different countries in the world are encouraged to play a role in
tackling climate change crisis. Countries should implement policies that minimize carbon
pollution, support clean energy technologies, control deforestation as well as be prepared for
climate change effects. Countries should also play roles in developing worldwide climate
agreements that combat forest destruction and protect wildlife, transition developing countries to
clean energy like solar and wind. In addition, the developed countries should also provide
financial support to developing countries to enable them successfully minimize carbon pollution
to reduce the worst climate change consequence.
Conclusion
Conclusively, severe climate change effects can be dramatically reduced if global carbon
emissions are minimized. The burning of coal and natural gas should be minimized because they
have been attributed to pose significant amounts of atmospheric CO2. Clean energy use and
reforestation should be encouraged to increase carbon dioxide absorption. However, people
should be prepared for significant and unavoidable carbon emissions consequences such as the
shifting precipitation pattern, acidification of the ocean, sea level rise as well as the increased
intensity of extreme weather events.
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