According to published in Natural sustainability.
Water security in mountain regions depends on a broader understanding of the complex linkages between water supply and demand, going well beyond the study of glacial melt.
But the new study shows that the lack of comprehensive water security knowledge is due to a lack of understanding of what happens “beyond the cryosphere”—that is, contributions from sources other than frozen water such as hillsides, wetlands and groundwater.
Mountain
Emerging research shows that the effects of global warming and climate change are intensified in mountainous regions.
Glacier-related disasters such as ice avalanches and glacial lake outburst floods are becoming more common, but have serious and life-threatening consequences for the millions of people who depend on mountain water supplies.
The new study was led by academics from Imperial College London, the University of Birmingham, the University of Zurich, the British Geological Survey and the Catholic University of Peru, as well as local partners.
Researchers describe large gaps in existing data on how communities use water from glaciers and mountain snow in combination with other water sources. The map was especially difficult to construct due to the complex mountain landscape, local weather systems, and low density of data station records.
technology
Low rates of adoption of new monitoring techniques and methods, especially in low-income countries with limited institutional capacity, are further hindering our understanding of high-altitude data-sparse regions. These make it difficult to create models that can accurately scale up across watersheds.
In addition to these factors, uncertainty about future water demand complicates the situation. There is limited information on population growth and possible adaptation to threats to water security, as is limited data on future irrigated agriculture and the expansion of hydropower, all of which will have significant implications for water access and distribution.
Professor David Hanna, UNESCO Chair in Water Sciences at the University of Birmingham, said: “In mountains, there are complex interconnections between the cryosphere and other water sources, as well as humans. In the context of adaptation to climate change and changing human needs, we need Identify gaps in our understanding and rethink water security strategies.”
The research team calls for a fundamental rethinking of the methods and techniques used to assess current water availability and model future scenarios.
adapt
Dr Fabian Drenkhan, who did this work at Imperial College and is now at the Catholic University of Peru, said: “The future could lead to a more variable water supply and an increase in water demand, which poses a real threat to water security in many mountainous regions.
“Our current incompleteness is hindering the design and implementation of effective climate change adaptation. Given the growing adverse effects of climate change and other human activities, a holistic view based on improved data and process understanding is urgently needed to guide robust, locally appropriate A method of adaptation. Interference.”
Professor Wouter Buytaert from Imperial College is the senior author of the paper and has developed an original research idea for the project work.
He said: “Our study highlights the need for scientists to work on the ground together with stakeholders. A thorough understanding of the local water security environment is essential to co-generate comprehensive local and scientific knowledge that can support local water management decisions and adaptation strategies .”
this author
Brendan Montague is ecologist.
