Development of Knowledge Base for Assessment and Sustainable
Management of Freshwater Resources in Asia and the Pacific
Background:
Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region are entering the era of severe water
shortage and even heading towards the water stress. Therefore, water planners,
managers, users and policy makers have faced many challenges and the biggest
challenge for governments and communities is the managing the freshwater resources
as an integrated manner addressing the social, economic and environmental dimensions
of the water issues including assessment of availability, its spatial and temporal
variations, quality and quantity assessment of water demand by various user/sectors
(agriculture, domestic and industrial sectors) with special attention to the
ecosystem and environmental concerns, access to and proper dissemination of
data/information on water issues, and participation of local communities in
management of freshwater resources etc.
Objective:
The main objective of developing the systematic knowledge base (KB) is to study
the integrated freshwater resources management quantitatively and qualitatively
in the region. Information could include the root causes for freshwater issues;
state of freshwater resources; existing policy packages on freshwater resources;
alternative policy packages; gaps in information and monitoring aspects to address
the freshwater issues.
Current Study:
Currently, UNEP EAP-AP has developed the database framework on freshwater demand
and supply. The framework is being reviewed and data collection process has
been initiated to some countries in the region through the existing project
activity and to assess the availability of freshwater resources (surface and
ground water resources), water demand by various sectors (domestic, industrial,
agricultural sector and non-consumptive use) and assessment of future water
availability. The detail study will be conducted in future.
Contact Detail:
Mr. Surendra Shrestha
Regional Coordinator
UNEP/EAP-AP Room 304, Outreach Building
Asian Institute of Technology
P.O.Box.4, Klongluang Pathunthani 12120,
Bangkok. |
