"With an average annual rainfall of 1,170 mm, India is one of the wettest countries in the world. Still, even with its rich natural water resources, with more than 300,000 square meters of bodies of water, the country is plagued by environmental issues such as water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides (Sharma, 2005). Another major problem is that tap water is not potable throughout the country. This implies that people, especially those from the lower income bracket, cannot avail of clean drinking water, since these have to be bought. Repugnant as it may sound, it is a reality that millions of Indians queue up everyday at public taps for one of life's most precious commodity — water." -ADB

Wednesday 4 November 2009

South Asia Environment Outlook-2009 by UNEP

HIGHLIGHTS:
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In collaboration with South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the South Asia Environment Outlook 2009 (SAEO-2009) is the result of a consultative process with governments and other partners from the nations of South Asia, sub-regional intergovernmental agencies and experts. This report provides an overview of the state of the natural environment in South Asia, including emerging trends, taking into account socio-economic factors.

South Asia occupies about 5 per cent of the world’s land mass, but is home to about 20 per cent of the world’s population. This is expected to rise to about 25 per cent by 2025. Three-quarters of South Asia’s population lives in rural areas, with one-third living in extreme poverty (on less than a dollar a day). Their well-being is further compromised by indoor air pollution, which is a severe health hazard.
The report concludes that South Asia is very vulnerable to climate change. Impacts of climate change have been observed in the form of glacier retreat in the Himalayan region, where the approximately 15,000 glaciers will likely shrink from the present total area of 500,000 km² to 100,000 km² by 2035. These glaciers form a unique reservoir,which supports perennial rivers such as the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra, which, in turn, are the lifeline of millions of people in South Asian countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan). This will exacerbate the
challenges of poverty reduction and improving access to safe drinking water, two of the Millennium Development Goals.

The SAEO-2009 report also highlights opportunities for action. These include focusing on a range of response options and instruments to address these challenges and emphasizing the need for increasing responsibilities and greater cooperative efforts by all stakeholders. Increased awareness of ecosystem services and new market-based management systems are recommended as important mechanisms to mainstream environment into social and economic development processes in the sub-region.
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http://www.roap.unep.org/pub/Final%20Book_SAEO%202009_8%20Sept%202009.pdf
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Disclaimer: This Blog is a small step towards building a knowledge-based platform for Professionals interested in "water resources management(WRM)". One of the objective is knowledge dissemination. Please note that VIEWs expressed here are purely personal.