Journal of Global Resources

Volume 2
January 2016
Page 96-102
ISSN: 2395-3160 (Print), 2455-2445 (Online)

13
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON INDIAN WATER RESOURCES
Jennefer Almeida and Remy Dias
Associate Professors, Govt. College of Arts, Science & Commerce, Quepem, Goa, India
Email: remy_dias2002@yahoo.com

Abstract: Paper attempts to discuss critical issues affecting human living in India, especiallyregarding availability of (contaminants-free) pure water, affecting vitality of life in urban andrural areas. Environmental changes following warming are responsible for depletion of water
bodies. Its implication for safe water use by humans requires deeper probing. It is modern
India’s bane that most of its inhabitants in urban and rural areas do not have access to safe
water. Present generation is rather sandwiched between health and development paradox.
Subject matter of human induced changes to environment and ecological balance is discussed
intensely at various forums among intellectual and scientific community as also by others.
Taking into consideration large volume of evidence gathered through research, scientists andresearchers accept increase in atmospheric temperature, attributing it to indiscriminate use offossil-fuels. Impact of warming is felt by people in different parts of the world. Paper attempts
to debate conundrum for developing country like India that strives to accelerate its
development programme.
Keywords: Global Warming, Climate Change, CO2 Emission, Water Resources
Introduction
Population in India has expanded rapidly during last century putting tremendous pressure on
scarce natural resources. Environmental deterioration and ecological imbalance is also rapid.
Paper attempts to discuss issue of climate change on our depleting water resources. Indians
are known to display a sort of ambivalent attitude towards water and water bodies. While weshow reverence to water, as observed during religious ceremonies and folk customs onvarious family and community ceremonies, the attitude of people towards water and water
bodies leaves much to be desired. Availability of safe drinking water is a priority as people’s
health, hygiene, survival and above all wellbeing is directly linked to it. Konkani proverb suievinnem konnachean xinvom nozo, udka vinnem konnachean tanddum nozo (as stitchingrequires needle, for survival humans need water) signifies critical importance of water forhumans. Availability of clean water is a human need and should be a right too. Scientists,
intellectuals and academicians are increasingly discussing about climate change andenvironmental issues from global perspective as also analyzing policy changes put into force
by various governments to positively address the issue. Public awareness about climaticchange and its impact on day to day living is also increasing as it has serious implication on
livelihood and survival of humanity. Following court directives environmental education is
integrated into curricula at all levels in India so as to create genuine awareness about
environmental concerns. As disaster scoffs at humanity, scientists and academicians ingeneral and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in particular are making afervent plea for concerted action to hold, halt and positively reverse global warming andconsequential climate change. In spite of efforts of capitalistic countries and big business, theCopenhagen Accord, in 2010, accepted need to contain global warming to below 2°C.
Agreement was reached following protected negotiations and by accepting argument ofdeveloping world for fair play and sustainable development.

96

According to Richard L. Ottinger, (2010), Copenhagen Climate Convention acceptanceto contain global warming to less than 2°C is very significant objective by any standard though
there are doubts whether it can be realistically achieved in near future when nations arecompeting with each other to promote faster economic growth. It was indeed noteworthy thatfor first time most world leaders came to terms with reality of climate change. Most leaders, infact even quoted from IPCC scientific reports on climate change and global warming, with afervent plea for arresting alarming trend in order to save earth from havoc resulting fromenvironmental disasters. M. Montini, (2011) states that from advent of twenty first century
general mood at least overtly is to pursue ways and means to save humanity and ensure
uninterrupted food production, safe water supply and pollution free environment. Surely, trends
point that health and living is increasingly becoming focus of scientific community,
academicians, research scholars and commoners as well.
Dilemma Faced by India and other Developing Countries
Developing countries are caught between the devil and deep sea. On one hand economic
development is a prime requirement in order to lift maximum population above poverty line andon the other hand these countries are at receiving end of facing brunt of environmental
disasters which are often not of their own making. Faced with such piquant situation, future ofenergy and environmental policies are debated intensely among policy makers and academics
in these countries. Scientists and academics are of opinion that appropriate policy would be tohave a balance between developmental goals and protection of climate, so as to concurrently
advance both critical issues. This is easier said than done as trends indicate. According to B.
Sudhakara Reddy and Gaudenz B. Assenza, (2009), since the industrial revolution from1750s, developing economies with 80 percent of world population have contributed just a fifth
to collective GHG emission. Having suffered pangs of colonial brunt for centuries mostdeveloping economies have started industrializing their economies only in post World War II
period. Unlike developed world, these countries are releasing pollutants into atmosphere(though at an increasingly rapid rate) only from post-colonial period i.e. from 1950s. On other
hand emission of pollute developing countries like China, Brazil and India have per capita
emission far less than world average. However, presently developing countries (mainly China
and India) are witnessing substantial swell in emission, while that from developed countries isrelatively at slower pace.
The scenario is fast evolving. BRICS countries itself have currently about half the world
population. With their economies advancing at a higher rate consumption of goods andservices is increasing in these countries with increasing pressure on scarce resources.
International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that over two-thirds of total energy consumption
in the world will be by developing economies by 2030. This is really alarming. Current scenario
is that GHG emission of China is more than that of US. India is also likely to outpace Russia in
GHG emission to take third position. Presently over 50 percent of total emission in the world iscoming from less developed countries, largely due to use of outdated technology. By end of
this century it is presumed that current developed world will contribute only one-fourth of total
emissions. Even if we presume that GHG emission in developed countries is reduced to zeroand emission in developing economies continues at current rate than it would mean a scenario
of world facing prospect of global warming of 3°C by end of 21st century. Experts working withmodels that forecast future climate changes through computer simulations indicate that rise intemperature of 3°C would mean a cataclysmic level for global environment and people in poor
countries even when they are least responsible for the change. (Corina Haita, 2012, B.
Sudhakara Reddy and Gaudenz B. Assenza, 2009)
Developing economies contribute substantially to global warming and will continue todo so is discussed openly as a matter of fact at all important global meets. However, what is of97

greater concern is the developing world’s vulnerability to climate change impact. As disasters
mock the world frequently it is feared that millions from developing and poor countries stare atthe prospect of food and (clean) water shortage. As carbon dioxide emission increases climatechange is going to put people health and life in these countries to greater risk. Geographicallytoo developing countries are in a not so advantageous position to face climate change shock.
Recent quake in Nepal (2015) is best example of what natural disasters can and may do indeveloping economies. Besides the death toll the destruction of property and heritage is of
immeasurable value. For land-locked Himalayan nation, humanitarian aid and restorative help
from India is critical to meet situation following natural disaster. Likewise most developing
countries being situated in tropical and sub-tropical region are likely to face maximum brunt ofclimate change impact. Indian sub-continent as a whole is largely vulnerable to climate change
impact for we have a vast population living below poverty line surviving with meager
resources. This vast majority even when they are least responsible for climate change faceprospect of suffering misery from climate change impact as and when catastrophe strikes.
If world economies continue to grow at current pace in an unregulated manner withoutdated technologies, it is feared that GHG emissions would heat the planet by 3ºC in thetwenty first century. Even if temperature rise is less, say between 1-2.5ºC there will be serious
effects on developing countries situated in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Unseasonal rains,sporadic floods in some regions and droughts in other areas are leading to reduction in
production of food crops. This results in hunger for people dependent on agriculture forsurvival. People in these regions are also susceptible to spread of climate sensitive diseases
such as malaria and other tropical diseases. As water table goes down, people in India are
increasingly using bore wells to draw water. Arsenic and fluoride related health issues anddeformities for these people are not uncommon. India has a vast coastline and coastal
communities face prospects of inundation of low lying coastal areas and destruction resulting
from tropical cyclones. Numerous small islands in Indian Ocean and worldwide face prospectsof going under water as sea level rises steadily. The rate of extinction of large number of plant
and animal species is also unprecedented with serious ramification for survival of life on earth
itself. More than war, the world is facing a serious threat from climate change impact. It is afact that in India, high inflation in 2009-10, besides global economic factors not unrelated to
global climate change, was also largely due to drought like situation and quantum jump inprices of grains and pulses hit common man very hard indeed. Availability of safe andadequate water is another major problem affecting quality of life for both rural and urban
population across India.
Aim of this paper is to study impact of climate change on water resources in India andto make some policy suggestions to address problem. Water is a basic human need andhealth and hygiene is dependent on consumption of safe water free from biological waste,chemical and toxic contaminants, oil, sediments, heavy metals, etc, which are harmful. As
compared to developed countries in the West, per capita water utilized by people indeveloping world is meager. While a large section of residents in developing world do not havecontinuous safe water supply to their homes, it is women who walk for miles to get water,
putting at risk their safety and of their daughters left alone at home. In fact access to safe
drinking water at home (even in slum areas) is desired by people for more than anything thesafety of our daughters. For as mothers travel long distances to fetch water, their daughtersleft alone at home are often at great risk of being molested or raped. Quality time which
otherwise would have been utilized for productive economic activity is lost in fetching gallons
of water from far off distance. It is estimated that approximately a third of the world population
may be forced to dwell in water scarce regions in near future. It is predicted that as worldcontinues to use alternate sources of energy, war and disputes over ‘black gold’ that is oil are
likely to be fewer. However, war and disputes and struggles between peoples for control over98

water bodies are likely to increase. In Indian subcontinent southern states are often atloggerheads in summer and disputes are not infrequent over matters related to water. It would
not be an overestimation to state that at least a billion people round the world lack access tosafe water, besides, millions die year after year due to water borne diseases.
Looming impact of Climate Change
Our planet is covered largely by water bodies to the extent of 70 percent of its surface area, of
which 97 percent is salty and unsafe for drinking. 2 percent is in the form of snow and ice. This
would mean that humans have less than 1 percent to cultivate crops, for industrial anddomestic purpose. Two-thirds of our fresh water resources are used to grow food. As world
population continues to grow the demand for fresh and safe water increases by the day.
Leaving aside water locked in form of glaciers rest of fresh water is in aquifers which humans
everywhere are draining much more quickly than natural recharge rate. Humans seem to stareat disaster as climate alters at a fast pace. Twentieth century has witnessed too many weather
related calamities. Humans seem to believe in myth of earth’s unbounded generosity withregard to natural resources. Activities like digging canals, building dams, pumping water fromaquifers, diverting rivers, uncontrolled mining, etc have all gone unabated unmindful of its
impact on scarce fresh water sources. In regions which are densely populated water tables
have plummeted. Ecologist Garrett Hardin well researched and thoughtful paper in 1968 titled‘Tragedy of Commons’ which required reading by biology students ever since. It addresses
problem that can be solved only by a ‘change in human values or ideas of morality’ insituations where rational pursuit of individual self-interest leads to collective ruin. Cowherds
who share commons for pasture eventually increase cattle gradually until it leads todestruction of pastures through overgrazing. Similar tragedy is now happening with water aswell because of its indiscriminate and unregulated use and waste. What is the way out?
Communities should agree to self-imposed limits arrived at through consensus. This though it
seems, unthinkable and improbable, seems to be only right thing to do. Community living onlines of clanship which was norm for thousands of years could be replicated by way of making
housing societies in urban areas and hamlets in rural areas share resources on mutually
beneficial principles.
Himalayas are intricately with life and civilizations in India. However, today Himalayan
glaciers which have sustained civilization in Indo-Gangetic plains for thousands of years aredwindling at a very rapid rate. In the last half century there has been over 40 percent decline involume of Himalayan ice. Consequently most north Indian rivers have a decrease in summer
discharge. These observations lead us to infer that these changes are a consequence of
global warming. It is suggested by some experts that is it only a part of low frequency climate
variability inherent to climatic systems. However repeated disasters indicate that changes
effectuated by mankind have begun to haunt. Possible brunt of climate change on water
resources include: vanishing of water bodies due to enhanced rate of evaporation, intensive
precipitation causing geographical changes (as seen during Uttarakhand flashfloods in 2013
when skies opened up causing massive landslides), frequency and severity of droughts andfloods, etc. Projections made through use of computer simulation models indicate either
increase in rainfall in some parts of India and drought like situation in other areas as a result ofgreen house gases emission. Year after year as farmers commit suicides either because theirstanding crops are destroyed by flash floods or wither due to drought like situation is to agreewith Barbara Kingsolver, who writing in National Geographic deepest dread of humans inmodern times is peril of having too little or too much water. Yet politics of and politicking overfarmer deaths due to crop failure continues shamelessly year after year.
Therefore, climatic change has significantly altered soil moisture, groundwater
recharge and incidence of flood or drought experience and groundwater level in different

99areas, leading to forced migration in many areas. In India groundwater has been largely used
for domestic and irrigation purposes with agricultural production even in 21st century
significantly being dependent on it. Groundwater use in India is substantial and it contributes to
9 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Electricity used and power
consumed to draw water from deep groundwater sources is quite substantial for country as awhole. If better and cost effective methods are developed and put to use then we would be ina position to contribute in no small measure to save burning of fossil fuel. Without doubt wateris critical resource for farmer and agricultural sector is largest consumer of water resources indeveloping countries. It is imperative that guaranteed water supply is essential for sustainableagriculture. In most parts of India farmers make imprudent use of water and level of utilizationof water in farms and agricultural fields is poor. Studies indicate that application and useefficiencies of water by farmers in general in different parts of India have been quite low.
According to Samanpreet Kaur, Satvinder Singh and Harjit Singh Gulati, (2009), most irrigation
projects run at very low down efficiency of just 30-40 percent and loss of water either during
conveyance and use is very high. Cropping pattern in India which is rice/wheat-based is suchthat crops require application of water in large quantities. Farmers are also largely unaware ofprofligate use of water for agricultural purposes and are either reluctant or unable to use
suitable paraphernalia for regulated use of water in most parts of India causing low water use
efficiency at field level. Consequently amount of waste of water at field level is in range ofapproximately 60-70 percent which is unacceptable by any standards in times of precarious
water shortage staring at us. Need of hour is to initiate urgent measures for efficient and astuteuse of precious water. Otherwise it is hard to carry on agricultural productivity at sustainablelevels. Colleges and students having a course in environmental education should be geared togive practical demonstration to farmers on efficient use of water. For this perhaps colleges anduniversities could devise procedures to ask student undergoing course in environmental
education to map the extent to which there is inefficient use of water for domestic as well as
agricultural purpose.
Scientific community is aware that climatic change is exerting heavy stress on water
resources in Indian subcontinent. Every year about 45 percent of average rainfall (including
snowfall) gets wasted with rivers emptying large volume of water in Arabian Sea on one side
and Bay of Bengal on other. Government is promoting rain-water harvesting schemes to arrest
the run-off and to augment groundwater table. However need of the hour is for intellectual
community in colleges, universities and science research institute to collaborate with students(our young human resources) in order to map effect of possible climate change on rainfall
patterns, evaporation and temperature in different areas and on water bodies as rivers,
springs, lakes, ponds, etc. If every college, university and science research institute could also
promote rain-water harvesting on their campus along with support of community andindustrialist then its spill-over on generating interests among general public will be of use andbenefit immensely. A massive exercise replicating Swach Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India
Mission) to carry out large-scale afforestation on sustained basis for a decade or two will yield
better result for country as a whole. Undoubtedly there is uncertainty with respect to predictionof climate change at global level. Reservations in this regard may vary at national, regional
and local levels. It is indeed a challenge for researchers of climatic change to deal withuncertainties and provide more accurate predictions to policy makers, planners, and disastermanagement experts so that we are not caught napping whenever calamity comes calling. In
absence of such predictions it is difficult to prepare for extreme weather events. Variations intemperatures and monsoons bring about variation in rainfall patterns. And if these variations
cannot be predicted in advance it can lead to heavy losses especially to small farmers who arehighly vulnerable. As experienced in 2009, neither government nor farming communities wereprepared in India to face severe drought which affected more than 200 districts across country.
Situation has hardly improved since. Slowly droughts or floods are become common feature100

in India, leading to decrease in water-supplies even when water demand is increasing. This
leads to deterioration in quality of freshwater bodies, and strains already (very) fragile
equilibrium between supply and demand. Even in areas where there is increase in rainfall it
often occurs not at times when most required by farming community or when it is not required
leading to flood laying waste standing crops.
Conclusion
There is a felt need to protect and preserve our common resources like fresh water bodies asrivers, springs, lakes, ponds and wells for beneficial use of posterity. Realizing that water
bodies were commons Konkani community used to say: ‘boddi katrun kuddke korum-iet, udok
katrun korum iet gi? (You can cut stick into bits, but can water be cut likewise?). When humanpopulation was a fraction of what it is today watercourses seemed abundant and idea ofprotecting water was unthinkable. Hundred years back talking of bottling and marketing waterfor commercial gain would have perhaps invited scorn from others. Today situation is different.
Other countries are putting into force laws for protection of commons. In India situation is notvery encouraging. If the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognitionof Forest Rights) Act which was passed in 2006, is enforced in letter and spirit than it would
perhaps help country to avoid depletion and help preserve our resources including water
bodies for future generations. It is important that we move positively towards conservation of
our water resources. A century earlier Svante August Arrhenius had discussed problem ofwarming due to atmospheric CO2. Today, we are concerned about increase in CO2 and othergreen house gases warming the planet with grievous cost. Development paradigm promoting
GDP growth needs questioning and we need to pursue GNH (Gross National Happiness)
instead. Growth by caring for our commons would undoubtedly give better returns in long run.
Society seems to be living in self-denial being overtly unconcerned with global warming.
However, TRPs (Television Rating Points) that news channels get while covering catastrophic
climatic events in different parts of the country and world over seems to indicate that deep
inside humans have a lurking fear about impending apocalypse. Despite encouraging signs,
ignorance, disinterest, apathy and opposition still rules the roost in large parts of the country. It
is here that HEIs (Higher Educational Institutions) have a larger role to play to address theissue. It was in this light that Environmental Studies are mandated to be compulsory taught ineducational institutions. Academic Audit is required to assess if teaching Environmental
Studies have led to any meaningful change in the way we deal with our environment anddelineate corrective steps.
References
1. B. Sudhakara Reddy and Gaudenz B. Assenza, (2009) Climate Change – a developing country
Perspective, Current Science, 97: 50-62.
2. Barbara Kingsolver, (2010) Water is Life, National Geographic, 217:36-49; Garrett Hardin,(1968). The Tragedy of the Commons, Science, 162: 1243-48; P. Alexander Latta, Introduction
to Sustainable Development - The Tragedy of the Commons, 1968, available atwww.eolss.net/Eolss-sampleAllChapter.aspx
3. Barbara Kingsolver, (2010) Water is Life, National Geographic, 217:36-49.
4. C. P. Kumar, (2012) Climate Change and Its Impact on Groundwater Resources, International
Journal of Engineering and Science, 1:43-60; R.K. Mall, Akhilesh Gupta, Ranjeet Singh, R. S.
Singh, L.S. Rathore, (2006) Water Resources and Climate Change: An Indian Perspective,
Current Science, 90: 1610-26.
5. C.S. Papadopol, Impacts of climate warming on forests in Ontario: Options for adaptation andmitigation, The Forestry Chronicle, 76: 1, 139-49, available at http://www.norsemathology.org/
longa/classes/ClimateChange/tfc76139-1.pdf.
6. Chetan Pandit, Management of water and natural resources: Correspondence, Current Science,
98: 470; T. N. Narasimhan, Management of water and natural resources: Response, Current
Science, 98.

101

7. Corina Haita, (2012) The State of Compliance in the Kyoto Protocol, Venice: International
Centre for Climate Governance, available at http://www.iccgov.org /FilePagineStatiche/Files/Publications/Reflections/12_Reflection_December_2012.pdf; B. Sudhakara Reddy andGaudenz B. Assenza, (2009). Climate Change – a developing country Perspective, Current
Science, 97: 50-62.
8. Harini Nagendra, (2009) Drivers of regrowth in South Asia’s human impacted forests, Current
Science, 97: 1586-1592.
9. Hugh Turral, Jacob Burke and Jean-Marc Faurès, (2008) Climate Change, Water and Food
Security, Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, available at
http://www.fao.org/3/a-i2096e.pdf.
10. Human Impact Report – Climate Change, (2009) The Anatomy of a Silent Crisis, Geneva:
Global Humanitarian Forum, see http://www.ghf-ge.org/human-impact-report.pdf; Also read,
Climate Change: Challenges to Sustainable Development in India, (2008). New Delhi: Rajya
SabhaSecretariat,http:rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/publication_electronic/climate_change_2008.pdf.
11. Ibid. Also refer, Sreeja Nair, Souvik Bhattacharjya, Sangeet Kumar Srivastava, Pradhan Parth
Sarthi, Meena Sehgal, Thomas Tanner, Daniel Kull , and Unmesh Patnaik, (2007). ORCHID:
Climate Risk Screening in DFID India, UK: Insttute of Development Studies.
12. Manish Tiwari, S. Managave, M. G. Yadava and R Ramesh, Spatial and temporal coherence of
paleomonsoon records from marine and land proxies in the Indian region during the past 30 ka,
pp. 517-35, available at http://www.ias.ac.in/pubs/splpubs/pjubileebook/517.pdf.
13. Massimiliano Montini, (2011) Reshaping Climate Governance for Post-2012, European Journalof Legal Studies, 4:1, 8-24. (see http://www.ejls.eu/8/Full.pdf)
14. R.K. Mall, Akhilesh Gupta, Ranjeet Singh, R. S. Singh, L.S. Rathore, (2006) Water Resources
and Climate Change: An Indian Perspective, Current Science, 90: 1610-26
15. Samanpreet Kaur, Satvinder Singh and Harjit Singh Gulati, (2009) On-farm water management
practices in Punjab, Current Science, 97: 307-8.
16. State of Indian Agriculture 2011-12, available at: agricoop.nic.in/sia111213312.pdf.
17. Stephen H. Schneider and Kristin Kuntz-Duriseti, (2002) Uncertainty and Climate Change
Policy, in Stephen H. Schneider, A. Rosencranz and J.O. Niles (eds), Climate Change Policy –A Survey, Washington: Island Press, pp. 53-86.
18. The Convention brought to focus fundamental global environmental issue. Convention was
attended by a large number of heads of government from across (about 130 governmental
heads participated) besides official delegation from 191 countries. Altogether over 40,000
delegates registered at the convention and participated in intensive deliberations. Richard L.
Ottinger, (2010). Introduction: Copenhagen Climate Change Conference--Success or Failure?
Pace Environmental Law Review 27: 411-19. (see http://digitalcommons. pace.edu/pelr/
vol27/iss2/1)
19. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, (2007) Climate Change: Impacts,
Vulnerabilities and Adaptations in Developing Countries, Bonn: Germany, available at
http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/publications/impacts.pdf.
20. World Energy Outlook, (2007) International Energy Agency (IEA), Paris. See,
http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/media/weowebsite/2008-1994/weo_2007.pdf.

102