Integrated water resources management as a tool for adaption to climate change

It is now widely accepted that climate change will lead to an intensification of the global hydrological cycle and will have a major impact on regional water resources. It is also clear that, in many parts of the world, variability in climate conditions, next to many socio-economic and environmental developments, is already having major impacts and that such variability is increasing. Both present variability and long-term climate change impacts are most severe in a large part of the developing world, and particularly affect the poor in these regions.

Objectives

Upon completion of the course, the participants will be able to:

• Understand how climate change can be fitted into the concept of Integrated Water Resources Management
• Understand the climate system and the hydrological cycle and how they are changing
• Be aware of the impact of climate change on society
• Deal with risk and uncertainty in the context of water and climate change and especially variability
• Understand adaptation options in relation to water and climate change

Content

The Climate Change in Integrated Water Management course is offered as a three week course. During the first week, the theoretical background will be given. In a one-day field trip, a practical example of dealing with (future) climate change in a municipal water system will be highlighted. In the second and third week entitled ‘framework for modeling in water and climate’, the participants learn to apply the climate change and variability issues in a set of modeling tools and come up with practical and integrated options to deal with climate issues in water management.

It is possible to take part in the examination of this short course. If you obtain a passing mark for this examination and return to UNESCO-IHE within four years after completion of the short course to follow a full MSc programme, you will receive exemption for this short course/module. The costs for this exam are €250 extra and should be borne by yourself. Taking part in the examination is not compulsory.