IWRM as a Tool for Adaptation
to Climate Change
Instruments and Measures
for Adaptation
Session objectives
At the end of this session, participants will be able
to:
 Understand the concept of adaptation to climate
change and variability
 Explain the difference between adaptation and
mitigation and provide arguments why adaptation
to climate change and variability is necessary
 Distinguish various typologies of adaptation
options
 Identify possible adaptation measures for various
sectors and climate change impacts.
The basic premise . . .
Climate change is a global phenomenon,
but the problems will be very local and
we will have to adapt and plan locally.
WE NEED TO DO MORE
THAN JUST STARE AT THE
PROBLEM!
Adaptation
Prevent
Mitigate ...
... and adapt!
What is adaptation?
 IPCC: “Adjustment in ecological, social, or
economic systems in response to actual or
expected climatic stimuli and their effects or
impacts.”
(IPCC 2001)
 Different from mitigation, which is:
“an anthropogenic intervention to reduce
the sources or enhance the sinks of
greenhouse gasses.”
(IPCC 2001)
Adaptation is nothing
new
 Both organisms and
ecosystems, including the
human species, have
adapted to changes and
variability in climate.
 More recent, climate
phenomena, such as ENSO,
affect a higher numbers of
people because of:
• Lack of planning
• Increase of settlements in
high-risk zones
• An increase in poverty
• Limited access to education,
health, etc.
What is adaptation?
Source: Smit et al. (1999) / IPCC (2001)
Why is it needed?
 To deal with impacts from past climate
change
 To deal with future climate change
 To reduce vulnerability to extremes
 Unavoidable climate change:
• Mitigation is costly
• Time needed for mitigation measures to
become effective.
Intro: The potential and limits of adaptation
Source: IPCC 2007
General typologies of adaptation
measures
 Autonomous – Planned
 Reactive – Anticipatory
 Natural systems – Human systems
 Hard – Soft technologies
 Traditional – Modern technologies
 Regret – No-regret measures
Categories:
• Robust policies
• Technological and structural measures
• Risk-sharing and spreading
Matrix of various adaptation types
Anticipatory
Changes in length of growing
season
Changes in ecosystem
composition
Wetland migration
Natural
systems
Human
systems
Reactive
Purchase of insurance
Construction of houses on
private
stilts
Redesign of oilrigs
public
Early warning systems
New building codes, design
standards
Incentives for relocation.
Changes in farm practices
Changes in insurance premiums
Purchase of airconditioning
Compensatory payments,
subsidies
Enforcement of building codes
Beach nourishment.
Water-related policies applicable
to the adaptation challenge
 Integrated Water Resources Management
 Integrated Flood Management
 Integrated Coastal Zone Management
 Robust: not event-driven, cross-sectoral integration of
development policy goals for current and future needs
 Flexible: not based on one scenario only, ‚best mix‘ of
measures
 Adaptive: able to function under uncertainty and adjust
the management approach based on the outcomes of
implemented strategies and taking into account new
realities
Climate change as an additional challenge/pressure but not
the only one  incorporation of climate information into
the overall process
Other policies applicable to the
adaptation challenge
 International
• UNFCCC
• Policies and rules governing ODA
 Regional
• Regional Adaptation Plans of Action
• Regional Strategic Action Plans for IWRM
 National
• Poverty reduction strategies
• NAPAs and National IWRM plans/water policy
• Spatial plans and urban master plans
• Disaster Management plans
• Flood or drought action plans.
Technological and structural
measures




Water storage and recirculation
Flood management
Early warning systems
Operation and system improvements.
Storage and recirculation






Development of reservoirs
Development of sand dams
Improve maintenance of systems
Leakage control
Rainwater harvesting
Reuse/recycling of water.
Flood Management
Strategy
Reducing Flooding
Options
Dams and reservoirs
Dikes, levees, and flood embankments
High flow diversions
Catchment management
Channel improvements
Reducing Susceptibility to Damage
Flood plain regulation
Development and redevelopment policies
Design and location of facilities
Housing and building codes
Flood-proofing
Flood forecasting and warning
Mitigating the Impacts of Flooding
Information and education
Disaster preparedness
Post flood recovery
Flood insurance
Preserving the Natural Resources of
Flood Plains
Flood plain zoning and regulation
CHARACTERISTIC LIFETIME (SECONDS)
Observing systems, forecasting,
early warning, climate predictions and projections
Climate Projections
Non-structural,
i.e. minimal or
no environmental
impact
Considered noregret with high
cost benefit
ratios.
CHARACTERISTIC SIZE (METRES)
Adapted from J.
Zillman
Drought monitoring, early warning and mitigation

Monitoring and early warning system plus preparedness and response
planning

Supply side:
• Surface and groundwater resource development
• Water transfers

Demand side:
• Improved land use practices (tillage etc)
• Watershed management
• Rainwater/run-off harvesting
• Recycling water (e.g. use of treated municipal waste water for
irrigation)
• Development of water allocation strategies among competing
demands
• Reduction of wastage (drip irrigation etc)
• Improvements in soil water conservation
• Water pricing and subsidies.
Operations and system improvements
• Reservoir operations rules
• Irrigation scheduling
• Water demand management
• Indigenous coping strategies
• Precipitation enhancement.
Risks sharing and spreading
 Insurance
• Primary insurers
• Re-insurance
• Micro-insurance
 Finance
• Development banks
• Private/micro-lenders
• Solidarity funds
 Community solidarity
 Livelihood diversification.
Think about it
Where are the new adaptation measures?
Or haven‘t we done our homework under climate
variability?
Is it mainly a question of capacity building
(technology transfer, education and training)?
Can we cope without additional storage under more
variability?
What is the role of existing storage facilities? How
are we rating in terms of maintenance and safety
of those facilities?
Where is the greatest need for innovation?
Thank you
Additional Material
Adaptation to extremes
It cannot be assumed that a future hydro-climatic
regime would be the same or have the same
properties.
Xpc
Probability
of
climatic
attribute (or
effect)
Adapted Autonomous adaptation
Adapted
A higher
probability of
extreme events
exists.
Values of Climatic attribute (X)
Shift in probability: More extremes
Xpc
Probability of
climatic
attribute
(or effect)
Adapted
Xcc
Autonomous adaptation Adapted Risk zone/extreme events
Values of Climatic attribute (X)
Shift in probability: More extremes
Xpc
Probability of
climatic
attribute
(or effect)
Adapted
Xcc
Autonomous adaptation Adapted Risk zone/extreme events
Adaptation to
climate change
Values of Climatic attribute (X)