Water for life: Lessons for climate change adaptation from better management of rivers for people and nature

Jamie Pittock 02 The adaptations undertaken 08 Lower Danube in eastern Europe 03 The adaptations outcomes 10 Great Ruaha River in Tanzania 04 The lessons learnt 12 Maner River, a tributary of the 05 Discussion of key issues Godavari River in India 07 Summary of key adaptation, 14 Lakes in the central Yangtze River livelihood and conservation basin of China benefits 16 Rio Conchos in 18 Rio São João in Brazil Cover: Dry river channel, lower Danube basin. © Anton Vorauer / WWF-Canon. WWF-Canon. / Vorauer Anton © basin. Danube lower channel, river Dry Cover: This spread: Children playing in a channel, Ruaha basin, Tanzania. © Brent Stirton / Getty Images / WWF-UK.

This report presents six cases where the work of WWF and its partners has resulted in adaptations in water management that are reducing vulnerability to expected climate change impacts, and are also improving the livelihoods of local people and enhancing the conservation of freshwater . The six cases are: 1. Lower Danube in eastern Europe; 2. Great Ruaha River in Tanzania; 3. Maner River, a tributary of the Godavari River in India; 4. Lakes in the central Yangtze River basin of China; 5. Rio Conchos in Mexico; and 6. Rio São João in Brazil. The adaptations The adaptation undertaken outcomes

These six cases of adaptation were not explicitly 7. Increasing the incomes derived from natural The freshwater adaptation outcomes can be designed to address the full impacts of climate change commodities, like fish, to reward producers categorised as enhanced: on these basins. High confidence climate change adopting more sustainable practices and increase 1. Flood retention – increased capacity to safely scenarios are not available for these river basins that the resilience of these households; retain higher peak flood flows; would enable managers to adopt specific counter 8. Establishing and strengthening local institutions measures. Yet in each case there was knowledge of 2. Water security – more reliable access to water to facilitate adaptive management and self- historical extremes that enabled “auto-adaptation” in areas prone to scarcity; determination, including establishing and enforcing to manage in increasing uncertainty the impacts of more sustainable behavioural norms for uses 3. Pollution reduction – cuts to pollution levels and floods and droughts, water scarcity and pollution. of natural resources like water; the risk that pollution impacts like eutrophication The work of these projects involved social and will be exacerbated by higher temperatures; 9. Facilitating basin-scale multi-stakeholder institutional changes as much or more than institutions to: establish partnerships; develop 4. Livelihoods – diversified income generation biophysical and technological interventions to reduce common visions; lead adaptive management; and strategies and increased incomes of many vulnerability to the likely impacts of climate change. connect the local to global measures needed for participants that may increase resilience of The adaptation tools and measures deployed more effective adaption and sustainability; communities to climatic events; included: 10. Advocating for laws and government programs 5. Institutional capacity – established and 1. Decommissioning or changing the operations that facilitate subsidiarity, by providing basin and strengthened local institutions, increasing their of under-performing infrastructure, like flood local institutions with the mandate and access adaptive management capacities; “protection” dykes and sluice gates; to resources for adaptive management; 6. Connectivity – re-linked habitats and populations 2. Restoring the ability of the natural environment to 11. Improving connectivity in freshwater ecosystems of species, enabling greater mobility and capacity provide ecosystem services, such as floodwater by applying environmental flows, ensuring wildlife to colonise new habitats that may be required retention, storing water in aquifers, water passage through or over water infrastructure, and to survive in a warmer world; and purification and fisheries; restoring riparian habitats; and 7. Populations and habitats – restored 3. Adopting locally available and small-scale 12. Restoring habitats to increase the resilience of populations of species and areas of habitat that technologies, such as village water tanks; these ecosystems to climatic impacts and their may better resist and survive impacts of severe 4. Changing agricultural and aquacultural practices capacities to support greater populations of flora climatic events. to more sustainable methods that: produce fewer and fauna species, especially those that are pollutants; reuse water, such as for fish production threatened or of economic value. then irrigation are more water efficient; require Table 1 (on page 7) summarises the main adaptation, less inputs and secure higher returns for more livelihood and conservation benefits by project. valued produce; 5. Providing better waste management systems, especially for sewerage; 6. Diversifying local livelihoods into less water dependant enterprises; Left: Restored Lake Hong, China. © Claire Doole / WWF-Canon. Right: Fishing on restored lake, Zhangdu. © Yifei Zhang / WWF-Canon. 02 03 The lessons Discussion of learnt key issues

These cases are historical examples from which 5. Adaptive management – adaptation is an The freshwater projects studied here are from sites By contrast, in the Yangtze and Danube, the we have derived higher-level lessons on how to help iterative process requiring mainstream institutions where aquatic environments had been extensively floodwater retention capacities achieved by the societies adapt to the commonly expected impacts to engage relevant stakeholders to work on and degraded through desiccation, pollution and land restoration of floodplain sites are known and appear of climate change on rivers and water resources. revise key measures over many years. River basin use change. Consequent restoration of these sites part of larger governmental decisions on the levels From the six cases presented in this report, the management organisations are key adaptation suggests that practical and affordable adaptations of acceptable flood risk. lessons derived are: institutions in most societies; of freshwater management can reduce vulnerabilities If climate change impacts become more severe to climate change, and in many instances, also 1. Multiple benefits – many freshwater adaptations 6. Linking local to national to global – the there is a risk that the adaptations to manage water provide benefits for peoples’ livelihoods and to climate change impacts are practical now, can most effective adaptations draw strength and scarcity and quality, documented in these projects, conservation of freshwater habitats. Two questions be scaled up, and may have benefits for peoples’ link action at different geo-political scales. Sub- could be insufficient to meet the needs of people arise from these examples of generic adaptations: livelihoods and for nature conservation – they are national governments were enthusiastic partners and the environment. Yet these resilience building a) could more targeted and sophisticated programs “no regrets” measures; in these adaptation efforts, apparently motivated measures have engaged and built the capacities achieve more, and b) could the resilience building by vulnerability reduction and sustainable of local institutions in adaptive management process 2. Communicating adaptation – better adaptations implemented in these projects be development opportunities. National laws and that may provide the social and institutional resources communication is required to inform and overwhelmed as climate change impacts exceed resource provision that support basin and sub- needed to address greater climate impacts. These encourage local communities and governments, key thresholds? basin scale institutions appear vital for adaptive adaptations have bought time to consider whether to overcome the perception of adaptation as a management of freshwaters. Basin and multi- There is little doubt that more climate informed more radical measures are required. By contrast, the complicated process requiring new expertise lateral treaties are a catalyst for better river and target driven projects could achieve more increase in flood water retention capacity achieved to succeed; management in transboundary situations; effective adaptation, for example by better defining in these projects will always be valuable. All of these 3. Local ownership – participation of local the freshwater biodiversity conservation objectives adaptations have two prized qualities: they are 7. Post disaster reform – there is great impetus stakeholders in the design, implementation, and the thresholds for the quantity and quality of “no regrets” measures, and they can be scaled up for adaptation following major natural disasters and management of adaptation creates new water required to achieve them. In the Ruaha and considerably to substantially increase resilience at or severe environmental degradation that should societal norms that ensures the sustainability Rio Conchos projects, the generic adaptations a basin or greater scales. be seized; and and effectiveness of the measures; implemented on water scarcity are buying time 8. Funding adaptation – the social, institutional and 4. Immediate benefits –local stakeholder support and stakeholder ownership for the development environmental-focused adaptations studied had depends on receipt of immediate benefits, which of scientifically-based, quantitative environmental a modest cost and were cheaper than identified may then engender support for more challenging flows. This suggests that starting action to adapt impacts or alternative adaptations (such as large measures; to the most obvious problems should not wait infrastructure projects). Upfront investment was for more precise information. required for necessary infrastructure, seed capital or loans, and to pay transition costs. The initial adaptation funding came from non-government organisations, development banks and other aid donors. National governments often contributed funding only after the adaptations had shown the potential to succeed.

Left: Floodplain forest, lower Danube. © Michel Gunther / WWF-Canon. WWF-Canon. / Gunther Michel © Danube. lower forest, Floodplain Left: Right: Bore well, Maner basin, India. © Jamie Pittock / WWF-Canon. 04 05

Table 1 Summary of key adaptation, livelihood and conservation benefits

While WWF and local institutions did not conceive This research shows that adaptation is best Project Likely major climate Key adaptation Key livelihood Key ecosystem these projects for comprehensive climate change considered as a pathway that starts by implementing Left: Fishing on restored lakes, Lake Hong. © Yifei Zhang / WWF China. change impacts benefits benefits benefits adaptation, this varied from those explicitly addressing the “no regrets” measures to address obvious Right: Fishing on restored lakes, Zhangdu. © Anton Vorauer / WWF-Canon. Lower Danube, Flooding increased. Flood storage increased Livelihoods diversified. Restored 4,430 ha of floods as a climate impact, to projects that had not vulnerabilities that most societies can undertake eastern Europe Pollution exacerbated. through restoration Better access to clean habitats and reconnected Biodiversity impacted. of floodplains. Plan to water. Ecological services a 68 km2 lake to the river. thought of adaptation until it was raised by this study. with locally available knowledge and technologies, restore 2,250 km2. of €500/ha from restored Fish and bird populations The staff of WWF and their local institutional partners, often with a little external help. The small-scale but 14.4% has been or floodplains. restored. Protected areas that include people highly educated in relevant fields, increasingly widespread local measures outlined in is being restored. expanded by 5,757 km2 Pollution reduced. in Romania. had not focused on climate change adaptation. If this report add up to substantial adaptation and buy these sorts of local thought leaders had not fully time to consider and gather the resources needed Great Ruaha River, Greater water scarcity. Reduced vulnerability Established 20 Flows restored in some engaged in adaptation, why not? What would mobilise if progressively harder adaptations are required. Tanzania Biodiversity impacted. to drought. Water Community Banks. places. Water sources Users’ Associations and Diversified into livelihoods and riparian vegetation more regional societies to mainstream adaptation? A number of these case studies exhibit a virtuous other basin institutions with reduced reliance on restored. Tree felling for cycle where initial, successful interventions have A common response of the local project staff when strengthened. water. charcoal production generated stakeholder support and built capacities reduced. approached to participate in this research was for progressively more sophisticated measures that that insufficient climate change impact data was Godavari tanks, Greater water scarcity. Greater surface and Increased agricultural Enhanced habitats for will further enhance adaptation to climate change. available for their river basin to enable development India Impacts of alternative ground water access production, employment birds in the tanks. adaptation options. from restored tanks. and incomes. Reduced Alternative to of targeted adaptation responses. This suggests that This report shows that practical adaptations to climate Tank management agricultural inputs. environmental damage awareness of climate change adaptation methods change impacts on freshwaters may have immediate systems established. Cultural benefits. from proposed new was low. Climate change adaptation proponents benefits for peoples’ livelihoods and to conserve Program adopted by dam demonstrated. the state government. need to consider whether a mystique surrounding ecosystems, and should be priorities for governments Alternative to proposed the data, methods and expertise required for and aid donors. US$4 billion dam effective adaptation is a barrier to implementation. demonstrated. In the Danube and Rio Conchos, however, some Yangtze lakes, Flooding increased. Restored 450 km2 lakes. Improved access to Restored 450 km2 lake consideration of climate change was evident. Staff China Pollution exacerbated. Can retain 285 Mm3 of drinking water. habitats, new 60 km2 in all the projects were focused on reversing the Biodiversity impacted. flood waters. Reduced Fish resources increased. reserve. Populations of severe environmental degradation evident in these pollution. Government Diversification of fish, birds and Yangtze adopted restoration livelihoods and increased Porpoise increased. basins. In a number of the projects, as a result policies. Yangtze Forum incomes. of participating in this research, the project staff established for adaptive have responded with renewed confidence that the management. adaptations they are implementing can be enhanced Rio Conchos, Greater water scarcity. Vulnerability to drought More secure access Conservation of endemic and become better climate-informed. This suggests Mexico Biodiversity impacted. reduced. Established to water. Increased fish. Developing payment that there are many local institutions that if directly institution for adaptive economic efficiency for ecological services engaged will consider climate change adaptation. It basin management. in agriculture. and environmental flows. Environment recognised Enhanced livelihoods is also clear that many local people and institutions as a user in the water law. of communities in the implemented these measures more for the short term headwaters. livelihood and development benefits than reduction of Rio São João, Pollution exacerbated. Pollution cut by 75%. Restored 244 km2 Restored riparian, long term risks. Proponents need to link adaptations Brazil Biodiversity impacted. Establishment of multi- coastal lagoons floodplain and lagoon to outcomes of value to local communities. stakeholder, adaptive, rejuvenating tourism habitats. Riparian river basin management and fishing industries corridors link remnant institutions. Management Training and economic habitat of the threatened approach adopted diversification. Improved Golden Lion Tamarin. nationally. water supply. River connectivity restoration planned.

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L.Onega © Michele Depraz / WWF-Canon WALES rn m k k Danube habitat, floodplain Healthy Cardiff Hambur Don SHETLAND IS. ENGLAND Sukhona Amsterda BELARUS NORWAY Londo g Elbe m Vistula n The Hague L.Ladog Poznan Thames Pripyat NETHERLANDS Berlin Desna A T L A N T I C Bug HEBRIDES Berge Meuse Helsinki BELGIUM Åland Dortmun WarsawR U S S I A ORKNEY IS. n ENGLISH CHANNEL Rhine inland Sankt-Peterbur Brussels d of F Oslo lf Leipzigg Odr P O L A N D Gu Khar’ko OCEAN Le Havre GERMANY a Volga Tallinn Kiyev v Context Impacts and benefits Seine Stockhol Hijumaa Frankfurt Paris LUXEMBOURG ESTONIA Prague Vistula Nizhniy Along the lower Danube River, whereSCOTLAND more frequent Each hectare of restored floodplain is estimatedVänern to m Dnepr Saaremaa Krakow L’vov Gulf of CZECH Tver’ flooding is anticipated with climate change, the provide €500 per year in ecosystemak services, helping Glasgo rr Riga St. Nazairege REPUBLIC restoration of floodplains is providing roomEdinburg to retain to diversify the livelihoodsSka of local peoples.Nantes Götebor Restoration Strasbour Dnestr U K R A I N E w Gotlan A NORTHERN Loire g LATVIA SLOVAK Rostov-na-Don and safely release floodwaters. In 2000 hWWF secured of the 37 sites that make up the Lower Danubeg Green C d E DonauDauga Munich Mosco IRELAND Vienna REPUBLIC A agreement from Bulgaria, Romania, MoldovaP and Corridor is estimated to cost €183 million, compared S va R E NORTH Riga 2 FRANCE Öland Bratislava w Belfast N Aarhus P Ukraine to restore 2,236 km of floodplain to form a to damages of €396 million from the 2005 flood and C N MOLDOVA 2 Isle of I Zurich A IRELAND I AUSTRIA T

9,000 km “Lower Danube Green Corridor.”N Cut-off likely earnings of €85.6 million per year. Prut Man Leed SEA DENMARK T LIECHTENSTEIN Budapest SEA OF E Bay of L SWITZERLAND Graz H AZOV from the river byDublin dykes, theseIRISH floodplain SEA S lands are LITHUANIA Danube Basin s Copenhage A HUNGARY I Bordeaux B A Odessa currently of marginal value for primary industries, Lessons Biscay n Lyon Nemunas Rivers Mancheste Garonne Vilnius N and once restored,Cor will be of similar scale as the MASSIF Dnepr S UNITEDr KINGDOM This large-scale adaptation shows the value of SLOVENIA Se RUSSIA Milan DANUBE area inundatedk in the 2005 and 2006 floods. Ljubljana ve restoring the naturalBilba resilience of the environmentCENTRAL Gdans Zagreb R O M A N I A Birmingha Mins DELTA Sevastopol’ WALES rn m to climate events byo decommissioning P under- k Rhône k Intervention Cardiff Y Hambur Po CROATIA Don ENGLANDPort performing water infrastructure, in this caseToulouse by more Bucharest Amsterda R ITALY BELARUS 2 o g EElbe Nice Bologna BOSNIA- As of 2008, 469 km of floodplain has beenLondo or is safelyDuero retaining and releasing peak floods. It also Belgrade B L A C K S E A PORTUGALThe Haguem N Vistula SAN- MARINO Thamesn Andorra la Vella Poznan MONACO A HERZEGOVINA undergoing restoration, enhancing local peoples’ highlights how replacing vulnerableE monocultures Marseilles Pripyat SERBIA Danube Berlin A D R I AT I C S E A Desna NETHERLANDS Ebro E ANDORRA P Sarajevo livelihoods and nature conservation. withMeuse more diverse livelihoods based on natural Bug S Dortmun Warsaw P BELGIUMecosystems (inRhine this case tourism, fishing, grazing and BULGARIA ENGLISH CHANNEL Tajo Madrid Corsica Brussels Tiber Lisbo fibre production) d can strengthen local economies. Odr P O L A N D Elba E MONTENEGRO Sofiya BarcelonaLeipzig Khar’ko n Le Havre International agreementsGERMANY for better water and river a Ajacci N Kiyev v Seine Guadiana o managementSPAIN have beenFrankfurt a powerful driver of change Rome N Skopje Paris in theLUXEMBOURG Danube. Prague Vistula Istanbul Valencia BALEARIC IS. I Tirane DneprMACEDONIA Minorca Krakow L’vov Palma CZECH N Guadalquivir Sardinia St. Nazaire Seville MajorcaREPUBLIC TYRRHENIAN Naples ALBANIA Ankara Nantes Strasbour Ibiza Dnestr I TarantoU K R A I N E Thessaloniki Loire g Murcia SLOVAK SEA Golfo di Rostov-na-Don Donau C Kizil Irmak Strait of Gibraltar Munich Vienna Ta A E G E A N S E A Gibraltar Malaga REPUBLIC Cagliari A ranto FRANCE Cartagena Bratislava R M E P GREECE Tangier D I MOLDOVA T U R K E Y

Cuet A Zurich AUSTRIA T a LIECHTENSTEIN E Budapest T Prut SEA OF Bay of Graz R H AZOV Gediz SWITZERLAND Algiers Palermo Messina Danube Basin Melilla I IONIAN Izmir S HUNGARY R A Odessa Biscay Bordeaux Lyon Oran Rivers O Garonne ’Annab A N Athens R Raba SEA Antalya T O Adana MASSIF SLOVENIA Bizerte S S a N Sicily Casablanca t A Milan DANUBE Bilba CENTRAL L Ljubljana Zagreb R O ME A N I A Siracusa Kalamai T Tunis DELTA Sevastopol’ o A Rhône A P M O R O C C O Po CROATIA Rhode SYRIA Port Y Toulouse N N R E Bucharest Nicosia O Y ITALY Bologna s o Duero E M Nice E N BOSNIA- Belgrade Khania N A R I B L A C K S E A PORTUGAL Andorra la Vella A HA SAN- MARINO HERZEGOVINA TUNISIA MALTA Iráklion CYPRUS E MONACO S Limassol Marseilles S A D R I AT I C S E A SERBIA Danube Ebro E ANDORRA L A P A L G E R I A Sarajevo T Crete LEBANON S A P BULGARIA Beirut Tajo Madrid Corsica Tiber Lisbo E MONTENEGRO Barcelona Elba Sofiya n Ajacci N Guadiana o SPAIN N Skopje Rome Istanbul Valencia BALEARIC IS. I Left: Fishing in the lower Danube. © Anton Vorauer / WWF-Canon.WWF-Canon. / Dépraz Michèle © Hungary. side-channel, Danube a of Eutrophication Right: Tirane MACEDONIA Palma Minorca N Guadalquivir08 Sardinia 09 Seville Majorca TYRRHENIAN Naples ALBANIA Ankara Ibiza I Taranto Thessaloniki

Murcia SEA Golfo di Ta A E G E A N S E A Kizil Irmak Strait of Gibraltar Malaga ranto Gibraltar Cartagena Cagliari M E GREECE Tangier D T U R K E Y Cuet I T a E R Gediz Algiers Palermo Messina Melilla R IONIAN Izmir S Oran O R ’Annab A SEA Athens O Adana Raba Bizerte Antalya T S a N Sicily Casablanca t A L E Siracusa Kalamai T Tunis A M O R O C C O A N Rhode SYRIA E N Nicosia O Y s M I E N Khania H A R MALTA Iráklion CYPRUS S A TUNISIA S Limassol L A A L G E R I A T Crete LEBANON A Beirut Great Ruaha River in Tanzania © Brent Stirton / Getty images / WWF-UK. Water management planning in the field, Ruaha, Tanzania. Tanzania. Ruaha, field, the in planning management Water

Context Impacts and benefits Waterways in the headwaters of the Great Ruaha Simple changes in local agricultural and natural River dried up in the dry season from the early 1990s, resource use practices, such as better scheduling severely impacting on both people and biodiversity. of water diversions, have made significant differences. Greater water scarcity is feared with climate change. This has restored flows in many streams and parts of the Great Ruaha River itself, and now a more Intervention rigorous environmental flow assessment is underway. WWF intervened to establish local Water Users’ Establishment of 20 Community Conservation Banks TANZANIA Associations, and assist them to restore native has also reduced the reliance of many local people vegetation in the catchments, protect the river on water related primary industries by facilitating Mtera Reservoir banks, better manage water extractions, and diversification of the local economy and increasing enforce water rules. their incomes. Kidatu Rufiji Basin Lessons Hydroelectric Project Great Ruaha River Catchment Chunya Usangu area These inexpensive, grass roots adaptation measures Mountains Ruaha National Park demonstrate how incremental action to restore Usangu Game Reserve ecosystem functions and better manage natural Wetlands Poroto Irrigation resources can increase resilience to climate change. Mountains Rivers It highlights the importance of strengthening the capacities of local people and organisations to Kipengere improve governance, diversify the local economy and Mountains institute adaptive management practices. This case also emphasises the need for governments to support local organisations with appropriate mandates and financial independenceTANZANIA to undertake ongoing adaptive management. Mtera Reservoir

Kidatu Rufiji Basin Hydroelectric Project Great Ruaha River Catchment Chunya Usangu area Mountains Ruaha National Park Usangu Game Reserve Wetlands Poroto Irrigation Mountains Rivers

Kipengere Mountains Left: Ruaha River, Tanzania. © Brent Stirton / Getty images / WWF-UK. WWF-UK. / images Getty / Stirton Brent © Tanzania. River, Ruaha Left: Right: Water management planning, Ruaha, Tanzania. © Brent Stirton / Getty images / WWF-UK. 10 11 UZBEKISTAN UZBEKISTAN

KAZAKHS TA N KAZAKHS TA N MONGOLIA MONGOLIA D z u n g a r i a D z u n g a r i a TURKMENISTAN TURKMENISTAN Almaty Bishkek Almaty Bishkek Ürümqi GOBI Beijing Beijing Ürümqi GOBI Dalian Dalian Bukhara Bukhara Oz. Issyk Kul‘ Oz. Issyk TashkentKul‘ Tashkent Baotou N A N Baotou Tianjin H A H Hami Tianjin Samarkand KYRGYZSS TA N S Hami B o H a i B o H a i Samarkand KYRGYZS TA N N N E E I I T T Turfan Depression Turfan Depression Aksu Aksu Mashhad ORDOS Mashhad ORDOS Shijiazhuang Dushanbe Shijiazhuang Dushanbe Qingdao Qingdao TAJIKIS TA N TAJIKIS TA N Yinchuan Yinchuan Taiyuan Taiyuan Yumen Yumen T A R I M P E N D I YELLO W YELLO W Sheberghan Sheberghan T A R I M P E N D I SEA Q I L SEA Q INL I I A N N H A A N S Herat H H A N S S H A Herat S H K U S N S A LT U H A N U K U N D U A LT U N I N D H I H o H o Qinghai Hu Qinghai Hu H g g a n Zhengzhou Hotan a n Zhengzhou w Hotan w H AFGHANISTAN AFGHANISTAN H Luoyang Luoyang N Lanzhou Shanghai A N H A Lanzhou Shanghai S H S Farah Kabul Farah Kabul N A N Khyber Pass K A L Khyber Pass K A N L U N A R U K Xi’an R A K Xi’an A K K O O R Hangzhou R A Hangzhou A Srinagar H Srinagar M M H u ua an n g A N g H HeH A N U A S H Islamabad e H U A S H Islamabad Qandahar Qandahar BA BA A N E A N H O H X I L S H Y E H O H X I L S H G Y AN HAR SHAN G AN HAR SHAN DABA SHAN N T DABA SHAN N A T A ong R ong Wuhan R Wuhan t CHINA N Q I N G Z A N G t ianCHINA N Q I N G Z A N G ian A He A He g Poyang Hu Zahedan M n g J i a n Poyang Hu Zahedan M Quetta J i a g J Lahore J n Quetta Lahore A n g a A a h L h C L C U T U T A N S I n d u s A N G S G G I n d u s G U Nanchang Multan U L L A Nanchang Multan A S S H A Dongting Hu H A N Chengdu Dongting Hu N Chengdu

P AKISTAN G P AKISTAN S u t l e j G Changsha S u t l e j A Qamdo Changsha A N Qamdo N Fuzhou I THARRA. KIR G RED Chongqing Fuzhou I THARRA. KIR G Chongqing Bahawalpur Bahawalpur D RED D I I S Sukkur S E Sukkur E BASIN S BASIN S H H A A H Hengyang s H N Hengyang s u N Lhasa u Gwadar Lhasa Gwadar d d n Xigaze n I I Xigaze I I New Delhi H New Delhi H E Annapurna E N N Annapurna M G M G Hyderabad D Hyderabad D U A Mt Everest U Mt Everest A A L O U S H A N A Y A A L O U S H A N Y NE PA L N Guiyang Jodhpur NE PA La m L Thimphu N Guiyang D Jodhpur a m Thimphu D Jaipur L S Jaipur A S A Y H Y A H Karachi u n a A Katmandu A Karachi u n a Katmandu Lucknow A Shantou Lucknow G h a g a r N Shantou Ajmer G h a g a r N Ajmer BHU TA N Maner River, a tributary BHU TA N Kanpur Kanpur t r a t r a p u a p u a S a a S m L Guangzhou m L B r a h L Kunming Guangzhou Varanasi a h L I B r I Gauhati Kunming Varanasi Allahabad Gauhati H Liuzhou Allahabad H Liuzhou of the Godavari River A A Desiccated Maner River, India. India. River, Maner Desiccated G

Udaipur © Jamie Pittock / WWF-Canon. G Hong Kong Udaipur A Hong Kong A Patna N s N Gu s Patna G n g e Gu lf G a n g e a Macau in India lf o of Macau f Ka Kac chch Nanning hch Nanning BANGLADESH BANGLADESH Dongsha Ahmadabad Ahmadabad Dongsha Imphal S o n S o n Imphal Jamnagar Jamnagar Qundao Qundao INDIA INDIA Dhaka Dhaka Vadodara Vadodara Zhanjiang Bhavnagar Bhavnagar Zhanjiang m a d a N a r m a d a N a r Context Impacts and benefits Jamshedpur Jamshedpur Hanoi Hanoi Surat Surat BURMA In peninsula India, the year’s rain often falls in only Security of water access increased, including from Chittagong BURMAChittagong 100 hours during the monsoon, making its storage greater recharge of local aquifers. Agricultural production Haiphong Haiphong Haikou Haikou essential for year-round use. Growing populations and and profitability increased from: better access to water; Calcutta Calcutta t Mandalay t a Mandalay over-exploitation of surface and groundwater supplies soils enhanced with silt from the tanks;a and reduced h h b threatens the livelihoods of millions of poor farmers, a input costs. Local employment increasedb and tank m G u l f o f m ARABIAN h a G u l f o f ARABIAN h a K y y s U G E P K f e A d threat exacerbated by the potential for more droughts committees were established by each village to manage inganga Raipur s U G E P ng f o Raipur Wa Nagpur ge A d a o l f inganga an the G d Hainan u Wa Nagpur G d s of R Hainan l f G rcha River f the Mouth a Louang Prabang Wa o R and intense rainfall with climate change. its water supply. WWFu calculates that de-silting all the Mouths a G rcha River River Louang Prabang Wa To n g k i n A w River To n g k i n M A w M Cuttack a

village tanks in the Maner River catchment at a cost of Cuttack a a K r

SEA K r r

a I h r SEA A

Intervention Mumbai h a I US$635 million could increase waterMumbai storage capacity Penganga River a n A Penganga River n a d Akyab N Vinh to a similar extent as the proposed Polavaram Dam on GODAVA R I a Bd A S I N i Akyab N Vinh WWF intervened with a pilot project to restore 1,200 i GODAVA R I B A S I N Godavari River Godavari River Y T ANEN R. LAOS the Godavari River. While the dam may refill more than Y T ANEN R. LAOS year old village water tank systems — modest earthen O

O Y Chiang Mai Pune once per year, this maladaptation would costPune US$4 Y Chiang Mai M dams — in the Godavari River basin. In the Maner Indriavati River M W Indriavati River W billion, displace 250,000 people, and inundate key A A M O Vientiane River basin, 12 tanks serving villages of 42,000 people Godavari River A A M O Prome Vientiane Godavari River Muta River Prome Muta River E

E were restored for US$103,000 in cash and kind. habitats, including 60,000 hectares of forest. Pranhaia River M Pranhaia River M.LampangM e S M.Lampang e k S k o o Hue Solapur MANER D n Lessons T Hue D n Solapur MANER A g T Sileru River A W g Sileru River SUB BASIN SUB BASIN Saberi River W E Kolhapur Saberi River S N This project also shows how building communityE Kolhapur S T N A Da Nang T A Da Nang R A Vishakhapatnam R capacities, applying technologies that are locallyR A Vishakhapatnam H Proposed R A H Proposed Hyderabad A N available, and undertaking small-scale measures could Hyderabad N G N Henzada N G Polavaram Dam Henzada G PolavaramK r i Dam G K r i s h E add up to effective and inexpensive large-scale and pro- s h n N E n N a a poor adaptation. This contrasts sharply with the negative G R Vijayawada Moulmein THAILAND G R Vijayawada B A Y O F Moulmein Bassein THAILAND E B A Y O F Bassein E consequences of the inflexible, large infrastructure H Hubli-Dharwar Yangon H Hubli-Dharwar T Yangon alternative, namely: cost; constraints on scaling up T A S S Kurnool A Kurnool VIETNAM implementation; displacement of people; limited capacity A Nakhon Ratchasima VIETNAM T A BENGAL Nakhon Ratchasima T E BENGAL for village self-determination; fewer benefits for the poor; E S S f Qui Nhon and substantial environmental impact. f M n Qui Nhon n o o M o uth a ou s th a of t f s of f he l b the l b Ir u a EK I u a raw t K G RA rra t ad G RAE DAN wad G dy r DANG ANOM Godavari Basin dy r a ANOM PH Nellore Godavari Basin a PH Nellore Maner Sub Basin M Chu Yang Sin Maner Sub Basin M Chu Yang Sin CAMBODIA B Bangkok River Network B CAMBODIA River Network Bangkok I I Tavoy L L Tavoy A A U Nha Trang Mangalore U Nha Trang Mangalore K K Bangalore T T Bangalore A A Battambang Battambang U Kampong Cham Madras U Kampong Cham Madras . N . N G G Mysore Mysore R R . . Phnom Penh PhnomMergui Penh LACCADIVE IS. LACCADIVE IS. Mergui Kozhikode Kozhikode Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City

Coimbatore Coimbatore Can Tho Can Tho SOUTH A n d a m a n SOUTH External boundaries of India as depictedTiruchchirappalli A n d a m a n © Jamie Pittock / WWF-Canon. Left & Right: Restored village water tanks, Maner basin, India. Tiruchchirappalli are neither correct nor authenticated. Mouths of Mouths of G u l f o f 12 13 MERGUI G u lMERGUI f o f the Mekong CHINAthe Mekong CHINA S e a S e a ARCHIP. ARCHIP. T h a i l a n d A N D A M A N I S T h a i l a n d

Madurai A N D A M A N I S Madurai SEA Jaffna Jaffna SEA

Ten Degree Channel Ten Degree Channel Mui Bai Bung Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram Mui Bai Bung Nakhon Si Thammarat Nakhon Si Thammarat Trincomalee N C I O B A RS I Trincomalee N C I O B A RS I C. Comorin C. Comorin r r a a n n n Phuket n a Phuket a M SRI LANKA M SRI LANKA f f o Songkhla Songkhla o l f l f G u G u Kandy Kandy Colombo Colombo

Gt. Nicobar Gt. Nicobar Kota Baharu Kota Baharu Galle . Galle .

Bunguran Bunguran INDIAN OCEAN Dondra Head Dondra Head INDIAN OCEAN Georgetown Georgetown Ob’ Angara Yenisey

Ishim Tomsk Bratsk Khabarovsk Petropavlovsk AmurBlagoveshchensk X Lena Omsk I A O Krasnoyarsk Novosibirsk H I N l G a G k A

y G N RUSSIA Irkutsk a B Irtysh . Chita N Ob’ Barnaul z I Angara O L Qiqihar Yenisey Ulan-Ude N

A Kyzyl Oz. G Khanka G Harbin Kyakhta N Ishim Tomsk Yenisey KhabarovskI BratskKaraganda H Petropavlovsk Semipalatinsk Blagoveshchensk Mudanjiang Amur Tamsagbulag A Hovsgol X Lena Nuur D Vladivostok Omsk Ulaarigom I Choybalsan KAZAKHSTAN A HENTIY AN NURUU O Kokpekty Krasnoyarsk UlaanbaatarH Changchun Jilin Novosibirsk I Balkash N Oz. l G Ch’ongjin Zaysan a G k Hovd A Tonghua

y NORTH G N RUSSIA Irkutsk a MONGOLIA B KOREA Oz. N Irtysh . Fuhai Chita ShenyangFushun Balkash Oz. I Barnaul Alakol z Lakes in the central O L SEA OF Qiqihar Anshan Hamhung JAPAN Karamay N Ulan-Ude Jinzhou Wonsan Ebinur A Chifeng Kyzyl Hu Oz. P’yongyang Kapchagayskaye G Kuytun Khanka Yifei Zhang / WWF China. Yangtze River basin Vdkhr Dzungaria G GOBI Harbin Yining Korea Seoul Alma-Ata DalandzadgadN Bishkek Kyakhta © China Hong, Lake Restored Yenisey I A N Dalian Bay Inch’on H Beijing Karaganda Ürümqi H S SOUTH Semipalatinsk Tashkent Oz. G Mudanjiang Issyk Kul N Baotou Bo Hai KOREA Hovsgol N Hami Tamsagbulag A A Tianjin Weihai Andizhan KYRGYZSTAN A L of China H D S Vladivostok YELLOW Nuur Choybalsan Shizuishan Yantai Ulaarigom N Turfan Depression E Bosten SEA KAZAKHSTAN I Aksu HENTIYANHu NURUU Kwangju T ORDOS Kokpekty Shijiazhuang Zibo Qingdao TAJIKISTAN Ulaanbaatar Yumen Changchun JilinTaiyuan Jinan Taitema Yinchuan Cheju Do Hu e Balkash Murgab T ARIM PENDI Oz. Q I L H Ch’ongjin N I A N Zaysan H A g S S H n Hovd U N A a Tonghua AFGHANISTAN A L T N u NORTH Weishan Hu H EAST MONGOLIA KOREA Xuzhou Context Impacts and benefits Qinghai Oz. Hotan Fushun Hw ang HoZhengzhou Hongze Gaoyou Nantong CHINA Oz. Fuhai Hu Xining Shenyang Hu Balkash P AKISTAN Mt. K2 Hu Alakol H A Lanzhou Floods are common on the Yangtze River, but Following adoption of theseK measures at a fourth lake, S N A N SEA OFNanjing Shanghai SEA 2 L A these have become more severe since the 1990s. the 448 km reconnected areaR can now safely retainK U N AnshanXi’an Hamhung Tai Peshawar A H K u JAPANChao Hu Zhoushan I. Karamay 3 O an Further, the extensive discharge of pollutants into the 285 Mm of flood waters.Srinagar FisheriesR have increased g Wonsan Hu A Gyaring He Jinzhou Shaoxing Ebinur M Hu Chifeng river system has resulted in casesHu of eutrophication. production by aroundIslamabad 15% and are now sustainable. Ngoring CHINAP’yongyang Hangzhou Hu Baidang Kapchagayskaye H O B A Both problems are expected to be exacerbatedKuytun by More lucrative, diverse and sustainable livelihoods H X I L S H A N Chang JiangY A Zhangdu Hu Vdkhr Dzungar ia GOBI N Wuhan Yining H A Korea Seoul climate change.Alma-Ata Hundreds of lakes cut-off from the for local people makeLahore the economy less vulnerableDalandzadgad Q I N G Z A N G R Yichang Poyang Bishkek Hong Hu Wenzhou Amritsar N T A N S Dalian ChangBay Jiang Hu river by dykes have become polluted and aggravated to climate impacts. Habitat for threatened wildlife A G G H Tian-e-zhouInch’on Hu Yangtze Basin Siling H U L BeijingA Nanchang Ürümqi S A N Dongting Hu SOUTH Rivers Tashkent flood peaks. and populations of species has been restored and Co S Y ANGTZE Oz. G G H N A Chengdu KOREA Issyk Kul A Baotou N B o H a i Weihai KYRGYZSTAN A N conserved, increasingHami their resilience to climaticN A Qamdo Tianjin Changsha Andizhan H H G L Nam BASIN Chongqing Fuzhou Taipei Intervention S D Tangra YELLOW events. Provincial and national government agenciesI Shizuishan Co Leshan N S Yumco Yantai Turfan Depression E Luzhou E Bosten H are now supporting these changed managementI Lhasa SEA At threeI sites WWF intervenedAksu to promote NEPAL S E Gongga Shan Hengyang Hu H N Kwangju A TAIWAN T practices more widely. ORDOS G replacement of polluting aquacultural and agricultural New Delhi N Zhangzhou M Xigaze ShijiazhuangD Zibo Qingdao U TAJIKISTAN Ya Annapurna Taiyuan Xiamen aiwan Strait practices and opening sluice gates to reconnect lakes Yumen A ALOU SHAN T m Mt. Everest D Penghu A N Guiyang LessonsJodhpur una Yinchuan Jinan Is. Taitema Jaipur BHUTAN Sadiya to the river, dramatically improved water quality. Agra Katmandu G Kaohsiung Lucknow Ghagar L ChejuL I N Do Shantou Hu Thimphue Putao N Murgab T A R I M P E N D I This case also showsAjmer the value of restoring the natural A A Q a Y H A S N U Kanpur I L L A N I A L Guangzhou E N I T resilienceA of the environment to climate events, in this g Liuzhou H Brahmaputar H A S Xiaguan S VaranasiH n P L N Udaipur Allahabad A Myitkyina L T U A a Gauhati KunmingWeishan Hu G AFGHANISTAN case by restoring connectivity between the river and G A A N G e s N Patna u A HONG KONG g Rangpur A EASTN a n H I G lakes by improving operations of under-performing N L Xuzhou O N MACAO Imphal A Gejiu Nanning D BANGLADESH O Son Qinghai S a lZhengzhou w e e n Hongze Gaoyou Hotan water infrastructure. Assisting the local community Hw ang Ho Nantong CHINA Hu M Jabalpur Xining M e k o n g Hu Ha GiangHu P AKISTAN Mt. K2 Lanzhou T to adaptH Atheir aquaculture and agriculture to more Dhaka S Pingxiang Zhanjiang K S N Nar mada . t.) N Lashio NanjingVIETNAM Shanghai SEAn S A A ina R L sustainable practices has enhanced their livelihoods Ha K U N INDIA Jamshedpur Xi’an Hanoi Tai ia ( A H Calcutta Dien Bien ix Peshawar Chittagong A Haiphong Ha K and the environment. Working in partnership withu Phu Hu hou ZhoushanHaikou I. R Chao ngz O an Mandalay Qio Srinagar R government agencies has ensured that these g s A Hu A Gyaring H ge U G E P LAOS M e an K Gulf of Shaoxing SOUTH Hu Raipur M M f the G Hainan changed practices are nowNagpur mainstreamed in daily ouths o A BURMA Louang Prabang Hangzhou Islamabad Ngoring a CHINAIrrawaddy h N T ongkin a Cuttack Baidang CHINA operations, and has seen these measuresB Hu adoptedn a Akyab H d Y O i Y Vinh H X I ADECCANN ChangA JiangY ZhangduXieng Hu Khouang SEA L S H A BA Y OF O A M O at other lakes. G o d a N v a M THAILANDWuhan r H Vientiane Lahore A R BENGAL A Yichang Q I N G Z A N G Poyang Wenzhou Amritsar TA N S Chang Jiang Hong Hu Hu G G H Tian-e-zhou Hu Yangtze Basin Siling U L A Nanchang A N Dongting Hu Rivers Co S Y ANGTZE G H A Chengdu A N N Qamdo Changsha H G Nam BASIN Chongqing Fuzhou Taipei D Tangra I Co Leshan S Yumco Luzhou E H I Lhasa NEPAL S E Gongga Shan Hengyang H N A TAIWAN New Delhi N G M Xigaze D Zhangzhou

U Ya Annapurna Xiamen aiwan Strait A A L O U S H A N T m Mt. Everest D Penghu A N Guiyang Jodhpur una Is. Jaipur BHUTAN Agra Katmandu Sadiya G Kaohsiung Lucknow Ghagar L L I N Shantou Thimphu Putao Ajmer A N A A S N U Kanpur a Y L A L Guangzhou E I Liuzhou T Brahmaputar H A Xiaguan Udaipur Allahabad Varanasi Myitkyina P L A Kunming Left: Eutrophication (pollution) and fishing nets before restoration, Lake Hong, China. © / Yifei Zhang / WWF China. Gauhati Right: Harvesting food from restored Lake Hong. © / Yifei Zhang / WWF China. G G A N G e s Patna A HONG KONG g Rangpur A N a n I G 14 N L O N MACAO 15 Imphal A Gejiu Nanning D BANGLADESH O

S o n S a l w e e n

M Jabalpur M e k o n g Ha Giang T Dhaka S Pingxiang Zhanjiang Nar mada . t.) Lashio VIETNAM n S ina Ha INDIA Jamshedpur Hanoi a ( Calcutta Dien Bien ix i Chittagong A Haiphong Ha Phu hou Haikou R ngz Mandalay Qio s A ge U G E P LAOS an K G u l f o f SOUTH Raipur M M the G Hainan Nagpur ouths of A BURMA a Irrawaddy Louang Prabang h N T o n g k i n a Cuttack CHINA n a d Akyab Y Y Vinh DECCAN i Xieng Khouang SEA BA Y OF O A M O G o d a v a M THAILAND r Vientiane BENGAL A

USA Rio Bravo-Grande

USA Rio Conchos Manuel OjinagaRio Bravo-Grande in Mexico

MEXICO Manuel

Rio Sacramento Juan Aldama

ChihuahuaMEXICO Aldama-San Dego

Context Impacts and benefits Cuauhtemoc Rio Sacramento Juan Aldama

Chihuahua In the Rio Conchos basin the 1994–2006 drought This initial work has bought time and established Aldama-San Dego threatened farmers and endemic fish species alike, partnerships needed to more precisely determine Delicias Pedro Meoqui and placed Mexico in arrears in its treaty obligations the environmental flows needed to sustain the health Cuauhtemoc Rio Bacochi to deliver water to the Rio Bravo/Grande. Extended of the Rio Conchos’s ecosystems. The water volume Rio San Pedro

drought is a likely consequence of climate change required is less than needs to be delivered under the Delicias in this region. treaty with the USA, so there is a good prospect of Pedro Meoqui Rio Bacochi implementing these flows. The establishment of theChoquita Rio San Pedro Santa Rosalia de Camargo Intervention multi-stakeholder Inter-institutional Working Group is

Rio Sisoguichi Rio Florido WWF intervened to promote integrated river basin now facilitating these types of adaptive management management and more efficient water use. The large measures in the basin. Choquita Rio Conchos Santa Rosalia de Camargo

initial investment in surface water efficiency proved Rio Sisoguichi Rio Florido to be a maladaptation as it reduced aquifer recharge, Lessons Rio Conchos and coupled with the lack of adequate measures to The essential need for conjunctive management of José Mariano JimUnez Rio Nonoava

manage groundwater, saw a further decline in water surface and ground waters is an important adaptation Rio Parral availability. A renewed program for more sustainable, lesson from the Rio Conchos. The project also Hidalgo Del Parral José Mariano JimUnez Rio Nonoava

conjunctive management of ground and surface highlights how it is possible to reduce demand for Rio Parral Hidalgo Del Parral

waters is now conserving water, cutting demand water and vulnerability to water scarcity. Acting now to Guachochi Rio Balleza at Delicias from 943 Hm3 per year by 200 Hm3. attenuate the most obvious impacts while developing more sophisticated and precise measures, as shown Guachochi Rio Balleza Rio Florido with environmental flows, is a key feature of adaptation in this example. The Rio Conchos also demonstrates Rio Florido the value of multi-stakeholder institutions and international agreements in facilitating and driving adaptive management.

WatershedWatershed IrrigationIrrigation Rivers Rivers ReservoirsReservoirs / WWF. Read Lauer David © water. more requires irrigation Inefficient Left: Right: Rio Conchos at Delicias, Mexico © Edward Parker / WWF Canon 16 17 Rio São João in Brazil Replanting river-side forest. forest. river-side Replanting João. São Lagos Intermunicipal Consorcio © Context Impacts and benefits Coastal lagoons in the São João region of Brazil had Waste water discharge has been cut by 75%, become polluted with untreated sewerage, causing reducing the prospect of warmer temperatures

a collapse in the fishing industry and impacting exacerbating pollution impacts. Wetlands are being Aldeia Velha Rio Das Ostras Três Picos Prof. Souza on tourism. It is feared that climate change would restored, increasing the likelihood of species and State Park Casemiro de Abreu exacerbate the impact of pollutants and further ecosystems surviving severe climatic events. Soon fish Rio Dourado

diminish the fish and other aquatic wildlife. will again be able to migrate past the river’s major dam Poço das Antas from the mountains to sea, enabling species to move Biological Reserve DNOS Canal Rio São João Intervention to places where they may shelter from warmer waters. Gaviões Barra de Rio Capivari WWF intervened to promote establishment of multi- São João stakeholder river basin management institutions to Lessons São João Basin Silva Jardim Rio São João Rivers progressively fix the region’s environmental problems, The key lessons from adaptation at São João are Lagos São João Juturnaíba Consortium and facilitating an economic resurgence. institutional. Establishment of effective, local multi- Rio Bacaxá Reservoir South Rio Ouro Committee region stakeholder institutions that practised subsidiarity has Atlantic Ocean engaged a broad spectrum of the local community rmelho Cabo Frio and empowered them to take action to restore their Rio Ve environment. This was partly possible due to effective Sao Pedro Da Aldeia Armacao Dos Buzios national and state water laws that gave the basin Boa Esperança Morro Grande institutions mandates and access to adequate funding sources. The basin institutions have taken an iterative, Guaba Grande Saquarema adaptive management approach to addressing Aldeia Velha Rio Das OstrasAraruama Lagoon environmental problems, and byTrês achieving Picos substantial Prof. Souza State Park Casemiro de Abreu Marica early successes, have inspired community confidence Rio Dourado Arraial Do Cabo and further support for new interventions. Poço das Antas Biological Reserve DNOS Canal Rio São João Gaviões Barra de Rio Capivari São João São João Basin Silva Jardim Rio São João Rivers Lagos São João Juturnaíba Consortium and Rio Bacaxá Reservoir South Rio Ouro Committee region Atlantic Ocean

rmelho Cabo Frio Rio Ve Sao Pedro Da Aldeia Armacao Dos Buzios Boa Esperança Morro Grande

Guaba Grande Saquarema

Left: Planned closure of the by-pass canal (top, left) will restore the Rio São João’s João’s São Rio the restore will left) (top, canal by-pass the of closure Planned Left: WWF-Canon. / Parker Edward © Brazil (centre), reaches lower Brazil discharges, pollution reduced has Consortium João São The Right: © Edward Parker / WWF-Canon. Araruama Lagoon 18 19 Marica Arraial Do Cabo Women collecting water, Ruaha basin. © Brent Stirton / Getty images / WWF-UK About WWF With a global network covering more than 100 countries and nearly 50 years of conservation work behind us, WWF is one of the most experienced environmental organisations in the world, actively contributing to delivering freshwater projects and programmes around the world.

August 2008 The full report is available online at: http://www.wwf.org.uk/researcher/issues/freshwater/ http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/freshwater Acknowledgements Report compiled for WWF UK, with considerable assistance of the WWF network and many partner organisations, by Jamie Pittock, WWF Research Associate, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University. A WWF project supported by the HSBC Climate Partnership Formed in 2007, the HSBC Climate Partnership brings together HSBC, The Climate Group, Earthwatch Institute, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and WWF to tackle the urgent threat of climate change on people, water, forests and cities. For more information visit www.hsbc.com/committochange The mission of WWF is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: · conserving the world’s biological diversity · ensuring that the use of renewable resources is sustainable · reducing pollution and wasteful consumption

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