The Linkage between Climate Change Adaptation and Water

Abstract

AbstractOne of the most significant impacts of climate change is that extreme weather events such as heatwaves and heavy precipitation are occurring more frequently. In turn, social-ecological systems are affected in adverse ways making adaptation to climate change vital, unavoidable, and increasingly urgent. This chapter suggests three types of adaptation discourses based on O’Brien et al. (Climate Policy 7:73–88, 2007): technical-fix, socio-political change, and behavioural/cultural change. In addition, Pelling’s (Adaptation to climate change. Routledge, From resilience to transformation, 2011) three forms of adaptation by the degree of change are introduced to enable a more comprehensive understanding of adaptation policy. This section also describes climate change impacts on water, which is the focus of this book. In many parts of the world, flood magnitude and frequency are increasing, while the level of low flows is decreasing (IPCC, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, 2021; IPCC, Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, Volume 2, Regional Aspects. Working Group II Contribution to the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report. Cambridge University Press, 2014a). In relation to flood control measures, this study identifies three main discourses which, for the purpose of simplification, are called: engineering-development, participation-equity, and conservation-ecosystem service discourses. A discursive space created by those discourses is also introduced. Finally, a historical overview of institutional changes in the field of water management is presented.KeywordsClimate change adaptationWater managementAdaptation discoursesWater management discourses