1 This learning toolkit was developed in the framework of the UNDP-GEF project “Advancing Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) across the Kura river basin through implementation of the transboundary agreed actions and national plans”. It aims to provide a better understanding of the current state of water resources in the Kura river basin. It examines links between human activities and environmental degradation in the basin, as well as potential impacts of such global threats as climate change and disasters on water resources of the Kura river basin. The publication also includes interesting facts about water resources, related ecosystems and provides additional information about some environmental concepts. The toolkit is applicable as an additional source of information for the schoolteachers, students and everyone else who uses water. Contributors: Mary Matthews, Nino Malashkhia, Hajar Huseynova, Ahmed Abou Elseoud, Tamar Gugushvili, Elchin Mammadov, Jeanene Mitchell, Surkhay Shukurov, Aysel Muradova, Maia Ochigava, Sona Guliyeva Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are those of the UNDP-GEF Kura II Project Team and do not necessarily represent those of the United Nations or UNDP or the Global Environment Facility TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................9 Is water an economic or social good? ..................................................................13 2. Water cycle in a nutshell .............................................................................15 Exercise .....................................................................................................................20 3. The Fresh Water Resources and Water Availability .................................21 Water stress and scarcity..........................................................................................23 Do we need to worry about freshwater availability in Azerbaijan and Georgia?...24 Exercise......................................................................................................................26 4. All about the Kura River Basin ...................................................................27 Transboundary river basin - who is upstream/downstream?.................................28 Population................................................................................................................ 30 Climate.......................................................................................................................31 Ecosystems and Biodiversity.....................................................................................31 Ecosystem services and why should we care about them......................................33 Exercise......................................................................................................................36 5. How Do We Use Water from the Kura Basin? ............................................37 Water uses in general................................................................................................38 Water uses in the Kura River Basin...........................................................................40 Exercise......................................................................................................................44 6. Freshwater challenges in the Kura Basin ..................................................45 Water demand vs supply...........................................................................................46 Do ecosystems have enough water to sustain their services?................................47 Where do wastewaters and municipal waste go?....................................................49 Discussion Questions................................................................................................52 4 7. Less Certain Future due to Climate Change and Disasters ............................53 Science of climate change...............................................................................................54 Why should we worry about climate change?................................................................56 Climate change impacts in the Kura basin......................................................................56 Vulnerability of the Kura basin to natural disasters........................................................59 Exercise.............................................................................................................................60 8. Why do we need to manage water? .................................................................61 Managing water................................................................................................................62 Why do we monitor water resources?.............................................................................64 Computer models.............................................................................................................65 Sustainable Development Goal 6....................................................................................66 Exercise.............................................................................................................................66 9. A better way to a brighter future for the Kura Basin .....................................67 Sustainable management of water resources................................................................69 Climate Change Adaptation.............................................................................................70 Transboundary cooperation............................................................................................71 Advanced technologies for conservation of water resources........................................71 Exercise.............................................................................................................................74 10. Time to Act – My Role in Promoting Sustainable Water Use in the Kura Basin ... ......75 Exercise.............................................................................................................................82 References:.......................................................................................................................85 5 ABBREVIATIONS: CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CI Conservation International EU European Union FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations GHG Greenhouse Gases HPP Hydro-Power Plant HPS Hydro-Power Station IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change RBMP River Basin Management Plan MCM Million Cubic Meter SDG Sustainable Development Goals UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme UN Environment United Nations Environmental Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization UNFCC C United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNISDR United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction WWDR World Water Development Report WWF World-Wide Fund for Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund) 6 GLOSSARY OF COMMONLY USED TERMS1 Adaptation to Climate Change: actions that help communities and ecosystems to cope with changing climate conditions. Biodiversity: the variety of life found in a place on Earth or, often, the total variety of life on Earth. Climate: the pattern of weather in a particular place. Climate Change: a long-term change in the Earth’s climate (weather patterns) due to the rise of the air temperature. Contamination: introduction into or onto water, air and soil chemicals, toxic substances, waste, wastewater or other pollutants in a concentration that makes them unfit for their intended use. Deforestation: alteration of forested land to non-forested land caused by human activity. Desertification: transformation of land into arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas. Degradation can result from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. Disaster Risk: the potential loss of life, injury, or destroyed or damaged assets, which could occur as result of hazard. Ecosystem: dynamic complex of plant, animal, microorganism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit. Ecosystem services: processes and functions provided by natural ecosystems that sustain life and are critical to human welfare. Endemic species: species that are native to a specific geographic area species. Erosion: the process of loosening and displacement of soil (Earth’s crust) by natural forces (wind, water or glacial ice). In agriculture, soil erosion refers to the wearing away topsoil by the physical forces of water (e.g. through irrigation) and wind. Farming activities such as tillage also contributes to erosion. Exposure to natural hazards: the people, property, systems, or other elements present in hazard zones that are thereby subject to potential losses. Extreme weather events: unexpected, unusual, unpredictable, severe or unseasonal weather. In recent years many extreme weather events have been attributed to global warming. Global Warming: gradual increase of the air temperature caused by the greenhouse effect, which is induced by emission of greenhouse gases into the air. Habitat: a place or type of the site where an organism or population naturally occurs. Heatwave: a period of excessively hot weather. 1 Sources: definitions are adopted from the Glossary of Terms UNEP, 2007, Glossary of European Environmental Agency and the UNISDR (see references). 7 Hotspot: 1) area particularly