Needs for Climate Information in Support of Decision-Making in the Water Sector

Abstract

As the fundamental drivers of the hydrological cycle are affected by increasing climate variability and climate change, the need for climate information for effective decision making in the water sector is crucial. Water resources management is essentially bounded by how the extremes – floods and droughts – are defined and characterized, along with methods and standards for reducing the risks to society. The ways in which water managers can adapt to contemporary climate variability, and which ultimately will serve as the foundation to adapting to climate change are described. Water managers use various surveillance, monitoring and assessment systems. Numerous variations of Decision Support System (DSS) tools have been developed by the water sector to assist in policy formulation, design, planning and operation of water infrastructure and some examples are given. The socio-economic factors that affect decision making, the mechanisms for interacting with stakeholders and water governance are described. Adaptation to current climate variability and potential climate change is a prerequisite for sustainable development and poverty reduction and needs to be integrated into the broader water resources development and management processes. Potential adaptation strategies in the water sector are described with examples. The needs for tailored climate products and services for the water sector are described. The major gaps in observations of climate change related to freshwater and hydrological cycles and the requirements for research and technology as well as for infrastructure, education, training and capacity-building are highlighted.