Changing Glaciers and Hydrology in Asia - Environmental Health at ...

collection are based on an ongoing effort to better understand, prepare for, mitigate, and adaptto the impacts of glacier melt. Moreover, such programs are feasible in almost all countries;experience shows that countries can cooperate on scientific programs even when they have fewother cooperative efforts.Other large vulnerabilities arise from current deficits in health and population conditions andeconomic resources, as shown in Section 3. Scientists may disagree about whether, for instance,there may be too much or too little water (floods or droughts), and the evidence is mixed. Butin many areas people may be vulnerable (likelyto be harmed) by any change in water supply orin the timing of water availability during thegrowing season. People who are ill-nourished,have more children than they want and cansupport, and are mired in poverty anddependent on scarce natural resources havevery limited capacity to deal with or adapt tochange. These vulnerabilities are identified inboth projections of climate change impacts andin general development efforts, making this anarea where co-benefits will naturally arise.Recognizing these existing vulnerabilities facinglarge populations downstream from glaciers, thesecond program concept in this sectionaddresses both near-term preparedness (toGLOFs and the disappearance of some glaciers)and resilience-building to existing vulnerabilities.These vulnerabilities include water stress andassociated food and nutritional deficits; healthissues–particularly population pressures anddiarrheal diseases associated with poor waterquality–as well as malnutrition; threats toQuestions that Cannot Be Answeredwith Current KnowledgeHow will seasonalwater flows change?Will more snow fall?More rain? Howmuch?How will crop yieldschange? What will theeffect on foodsecurity be?How will people copewith increasing waterstress, includingscarce water fordrinking, sanitationand hygiene?Will there be floodingfrom acceleratedmelt? Where?Will arid landsbecome more arid?How much and when?How will economicsectors, such astourism and energy,be impacted?What will be thehealth effects,including diseases,malnutrition, andmaternal and childhealth?ecosystems, particularly biodiversity; and potential governance and conflict implications ofunstable water supply. The three program approaches focus on (1) improving the managementof water resources, (2) conserving ecosystems, and (3) preparing high-mountain communitiesfor direct impacts of glacier melt.Finally, efforts to reduce climate-changing emissions of black carbon and other aerosols willreduce the need to adapt to climate change – and at the same time, yield health benefits topeople as they breathe less polluted air, both indoors and outdoors. These issues are discussedin both Sections 2 and 3.The third program concept and approach address these two different issues simultaneously, thuspresenting combined opportunities for program integration and co-benefits. Black carbon andother aerosols likely change the regional climate and accelerate glacier melt when black carbon50