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56development and integration could strengthen and connect existing networks or initiatenew networks in any of the areas identified above. This would include the provision ofhigh-altitude monitoring equipment.3. Involving communities in activities to identify and detail changes in climate that they haveobserved. These observational data can then be evaluated against instrumented data(where available) or satellite data. If the observational data are validated, the communitycould be set up to provide observational data which are then used to inform adaptivemanagement (i.e., improved water management practice) (See box on previous page).Outcomes/Co-BenefitsCurrent monitoring networks vary greatly across the nations making up the mountainousregions of High Asia, from reasonably extensive to nearly non-existent. The synergy of effort inthis collaboration would result in clear advantages to the lesser-developed countries whileaffording the more developed countries the added advantage of a regional-scale approach towater problems. The sharing of data, as well as appropriate technology, would benefit allparticipants. Knowledge of the optimal instrumentation for in situ measurement of climate andhydrologic parameters would benefit all and would encourage a consistent, standard set ofobservations being made across the region. In situ measurements, especially glacier mass balanceand snow depth and water equivalent measurements can be very time and labor intensive.Therefore, monitoring projects could rely heavily on students and local communities, initiallytrained by appropriate experts, to make these observations. This would enhance the students’understanding of environmental science and would increase the appreciation of the localenvironment by the local communities. Local community involvement could also be used toraise awareness to climate change vulnerability and to develop adaptation strategies if/asappropriate.5.2 RESPONDING TO DIRECT AND INDIRECT VULNERABILITIESThe program concepts described in this section address both near-term preparedness for directglacial melt impacts (GLOFs) and longer-term resilience-building in communities particularlysusceptible to glacier melt impacts. Specific focus areas are water management, ecosystemimprovement, and high-altitude communities. However, no matter what the focus area is,programs will be most effective when they address all related issues in an integrated fashion:glacier melt, water management, food security and nutrition, health (including family planning),education, emissions reduction, and other community-identified vulnerabilities.For the broader national and international contexts, water resources and their reliabilityconstitute the main concern, as well as glacier change and its impacts. Countries in the areaswhere water systems are fed by the mountains of High Asia also have high rates of populationgrowth and poverty, which further exacerbate water scarcity and affect people’s ability to copewith it, potentially leading to extensive socio-economic stresses. The impacts of glacier melt andother impacts of climate change will further magnify these challenges and disproportionatelyaffect those who are dependent on the river basins and natural resources for livelihoods. Thecombination of fast-growing populations and shrinking agricultural production could lead to
serious food security problems in Pakistan and Nepal, in particular. Rapid population growthalso puts additional stress on already weak health systems. As such, slowing the rate ofpopulation growth should be among the priority strategies implemented through nationaldevelopment plans and National Communications and NAPAs for Climate Change (see boxbelow).The approach taken in all three program approaches is integrated; that is, focusing on one mainissue (water management, ecosystem health, or high mountain community preparedness), butother important issues like family planning, nutrition, and WASH are integrated. By integratingfamily planning programs USAID canaddress the need for planners to paymore attention to populationdynamics and integrated strategies inbuilding resilience while addressingglacier melt. Integrated programsshould be aligned to longer-termnational development plans in orderto increase the likelihood of action.Integrated programs should alsoaddress the need to build resilienceand adaptive capacity amongpopulations that are (a) vulnerable toimmediate glacier hazards, (b) alreadywater-stressed or most at risk fromchanges in water supply as well asincreasing population, (c) currentlystruggling with health issues relatedto water and harmful air quality, and(d) already vulnerable to foodinsecurity and malnutrition. Thissupports a vulnerability assessmentapproach that takes intoconsideration both biophysical andsocioeconomic factors, and alsoconsiders interactions across sectorsand includes “bottom-up”perspectives.Human societies that are alreadyvulnerable (existing water stress,poverty, high fertility, poor healthstatus, degraded ecosystems,National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPA) forClimate ChangeThe UNFCCC identified 42 Least Developed Countries (LDCs)who are particularly vulnerable to climate change. The NAPAs“provide a process for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) toidentify priority activities that respond to their urgent andimmediate needs to adapt to climate change – those for whichfurther delay would increase vulnerability and/or costs at a laterstage” (http://unfccc.int/national_reports/napa/items/2719.php).A review of 41 country-specific NAPAs found widespreadrecognition of the central role that population dynamics play inclimate change adaptation. However, only 2 NAPAs identifiedfamily planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) projects as partof priority adaptation strategy and none appropriated funding forFP/RH projects (Matunga and Hardee 2009).The LDCs include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia,Laos, all of which have submitted NAPAs without mention ofpopulation dynamics; and Myanmar and Nepal, which have notsubmitted NAPAs.Thus, the opportunity exists to address this population-climatechangeconnection. Programs could incorporate interventionsthat address this connection into climate-change funded effortsand to prioritize projects that contribute to lower fertility such asaccess to FP/RH services, girls’ education, women’sempowerment, and a focus on youth. For example, the high rateof population growth in South Asia connects with increasingenergy use and growing emissions of black carbon and otheraerosol deposits on glaciers that accelerate melt/retreat.57
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Changing Glaciers and Hydrology in
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AcknowledgementsThe diversity of in
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NGOOFDAPAIREDDRH/FPRIMESRDMASPOT5SR
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elevation, retreats. Measuring the
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Potential for Cross-Sectoral, Multi
Page 16 and 17: 7. More efficient, climate-change-r
Page 18 and 19: An outcome of this process was incr
Page 20 and 21: changing ecosystems and land-use pa
Page 23 and 24: SECTION 2GLACIERS AND HYDROLOGIC CH
Page 25 and 26: complex and time consuming, so only
Page 27 and 28: The World Glacier Monitoring Servic
Page 29 and 30: and a decrease in the summer/winter
Page 31 and 32: alance. Berthier et al. (2007) comp
Page 33 and 34: forcing (climate change) (Ramanatha
Page 35 and 36: contribution, compared to total run
Page 37: These concerns are mirrored in the
Page 40 and 41: Human health and ecosystem impacts
Page 42 and 43: Glaciers are also an important sour
Page 44 and 45: and China (Figure 3.13 on page28).
Page 46 and 47: Figure 3.13. Projections of water s
Page 48 and 49: uncertainties about water availabil
Page 50 and 51: River Basin) include southern Kazak
Page 52 and 53: in action and the Mekong River Comm
Page 54 and 55: exacerbate vulnerability on the gro
Page 56 and 57: Another major information gap in th
Page 59 and 60: SECTION 5APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING C
Page 61 and 62: is deposited on reflective glacier
Page 63 and 64: Central Asian Republics. Like the I
Page 65: and snow water equivalent) and sate
Page 69 and 70: Another dimension of water manageme
Page 71 and 72: increased attention to WASH interve
Page 73 and 74: development that predispose areas t
Page 75 and 76: Demographic and socioeconomic facto
Page 77 and 78: a. Strengthen the capacity of commu
Page 79: carbon on young children. Appropria
Page 82 and 83: 4. Improved regional cooperation (t
Page 85 and 86: REFERENCESADB and IFPRI [Asian Deve
Page 87 and 88: IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Cl
Page 89 and 90: ased on Chinese Glacier Inventory a
Page 91: APPENDIX ATASK 2 DATABASEThe databa
Page 95 and 96: Current Work on Issues Related to G
Page 109: Appendix A.2Summary by Region
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Current Work on Issues Related to G
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Current Work on Issues Related to G
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