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Environment & Poverty Times


07 2012


revolution calls for investments, incentives to promote the right technologies, and better governance. Leaders can draw inspiration from within the region to mobilise human and financial resources to transform their rivers; and in so doing, protect their econo- mies, livelihoods and people.


High disaster risk and low resilience sap economic development. The Asia-Pacific region experiences more disasters than any other region in the world. Rapid growth, urbanization, environmen- tal degradation and climate change have brought new risks to the region’s water se- curity. Several countries, especially Pakistan


UNEP/GRID-Arendal


and many Pacific island states, exhibit a high risk and low resilience to water-related disasters. Climate variability and change are expected to create even more hotspots in the region.


The region’s leaders have already agreed to the Hyogo Framework of Action (2005–15). Physical risks can be managed through a combination of structural and non-structural solutions. Financial risks can be managed through pre-arranged agreements that allow governments to respond swiftly, such as catastrophe reserve funds and catastrophe bonds. Credit for livelihood diversification, structural measures and early warning sys-


tems will help communities build their own ability to mitigate, adapt and recover quickly from water-related hazards and disasters.


A repository of research and perspectives The Asian Water Development Outlook 2011 will offer a wide range of findings and recom- mendations covering all key dimensions of water security, illustrated with case studies from across the region, and supported by an extensive bibliography. The print publica- tion will be supplemented by a DVD and a website. Plans are being made to transform the current research into a full-time regional programme to support leaders in the Asia- Pacific region for the years to come.


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Contributors: Assisting the author, Ravi Naray- anan, Vice-Chair of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum Governing Council is co-chairing the team produc- ing the Asian Water Development Outlook 2011. Ramesh Ananda Vaidya, Senior Adviser at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), is the lead writer for the main report. More information is available on www.adb.org/water.


About the author: Wouter Lincklaen Arriens is Lead Water Resources Specialist at ADB, and is co-chairing the team producing the Asian Water Development Outlook 2011.


*See also the box about the five dimensions of water security on page 15.


Resource Efficiency: Economics and Outlook for Asia Pacific – Water


Report published in September 2011


While the Asian and Pacific region strives for further economic growth, the region faces some of its toughest development challenges in the coming decades. Population growth, changing water regimes and climates, and rising demand for energy, water and other basic necessities are likely to intensify over the next few decades.


In the forthcoming Resource Efficiency Economics and Outlook for Asia Pacific, pro- duced by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Chapter 4, Water, explores trends in water withdrawals in various sectors of the region in the past, and predicts future trends. Some of the findings are presented here.


Water use across Asia and the Pacific The report outlines the important factors impacting water resources in the Asia-


Pacific region. In particular it looks at natural resource endowment; pollution; increased water usage; changing patterns of consumption; water extraction rates; eco- logical efficiency of water use; and long-term sustainability of water supply.


Many countries have been extracting water in an unsustainable manner by withdrawing more water per year than is available from renewable sources. The situation is serious in Central Asia, particularly in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. These coun- tries are already withdrawing more water per year than is available from renewable sources. In South Asia, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka have also seen a large surge in extraction. In North East Asia large volumes of withdrawals indicate that China has also been extracting water rapidly.


Agriculture takes a big percentage of the water withdrawals in the region (81.5 per


cent of annual water withdrawals from 1998-2002). Central Asia had the largest water-intensity value for agricultural use at 18 315 litres per US$, coupled with the low- est productivity. Central Asia was using 63 per cent of total renewable water resources, more than twice the extraction of the other sub-regions (1998-2002).


Emerging trends Water withdrawals are predicted to decline in developed nations but rise in their develop- ing counterparts, further increasing pres- sure on water resources. By 2025 demand for water withdrawal is set to rise by a factor of 1.3 in agriculture, 1.5 in industry and 1.8 for consumers.


An unsustainable trend is emerging in the region with increasing water withdrawals leading to over-extraction. The situation is serious in Central Asia, South Asia and increasingly so in North East Asia. In par-


ticular Central Asia is experiencing serious challenges related to water use, with the highest extraction for agriculture in the re- gion. Central Asia also has the highest extrac- tion per capita, and the lowest rate of water efficiency and productivity for the region.


A need for international and cross- sector collaboration Today many river basins are already under stress, complicated by strong competi- tion for scant water resources between households, industry and agriculture. All sectors are expected to increase require- ments for water withdrawal in the future. Consequently, many of the world’s trans- boundary river basins will be stressed or highly stressed, and the competition for these resources will cause ongoing tension between nations. These transboundary water issues should be addressed in an equitable and transparent manner using a negotiated international process.


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