Water Resource Management in a Vulnerable World: The Hydro-Hazardscapes of Climate Change

Attempts by governments and NGOs to provide modern solutions to the management of local water resources, and to alleviate the hazards of flooding, often create unforeseen problems adversely affecting future water resources and leading to increased vulnerability to crises. Daanish Mustafa's outlines the need to develop an integrative approach. Introducing the concept of hydro-hazardscape he shows how diverse the social groups affected by a hazard may view it differently, resulting in a differing perception of the threat. Only by adopting an approach that is attentive to the multiple values of water in the communities affected, can one hope for any measure of success. Examples from South Asia, Central America, the Caucasus and the USA, illustrate how the approach will help achieve long-term sustainability in a future filled with climate change.