Climate Change

This project aims to address the most widespread problem linked to groundwater exploitation in heavily populated coastal aquifers, namely that of saltwater intrusion. Uncontrolled exploration of such groundwater bodies by large water users leads to groundwater quality problems that directly affect domestic supply and crop productivity. Within this project, guidelines for groundwater exploitation and managed aquifer recharge are being developed for the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and the Great Maputo Aquifer in Mozambique. Project outcomes are expected to have major impacts through shifts towards more sustainable pumping practices of the coastal aquifers, optimized participatory groundwater salinity monitoring, information-based groundwater resources management, and facilitated adoption of measures that, through their implementation, will contribute to improving water security and related socio-economic conditions.

Learn more by visiting the project website

The groundwater levels in the Ganges basin are falling down sharply because of climate change and mismanagement of water, and is affecting rural communities. Village wells are running dry, and women are forced to go far distances to fetch water, leading to social and economic stress and loss of school time for girls. By constructing groundwater recharge structures in a decentralized approach, the villages can easily store the rainwater and allow it to recharge the groundwater. The GRACERS project, a south-south research collaboration project led by the Indian Institute of Technology, aims to produce feasibility maps for decentralized groundwater recharge in the Ganges basin in India and Bangladesh that will enable storing of monsoon rainfall for dry season water access. These maps strongly benefit projects currently undertaken by the Governments of India and Bangladesh.

The objective of this project was to understand the processes that influence the use and management of water storage and accumulation in and near homes in neighbourhoods prone to the reproduction of mosquito-borne diseases and vulnerable to climate change in Barranquilla and Buenaventura. The study focuses on the experiences of women who have been exposed to diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika and therefore we adopt a gender approach to understand the relationships between women, water and mosquitoes. It thereby focuses on the causes underlying the pervasiveness of these diseases, which affect large numbers of communities in neighbourhoods characterized by poor water services. The project is implemented by Fundación Evaristo García (lead), a CSO in Colombia, with partners in Colombia and IHE Delft. 

The NBCBN Foundation, which has been independent since 2020, is a strategic partner of IHE Delft. The NBCBN's work focuses on fostering cooperation among water professionals from the Nile reparian countries through technical networks. NBCBN network members have progressed their water scarcity case studies on irrigation in Egypt and Sudan and climate change impact on rainfed agriculture Lake Victoria, as well as being actively involved in dissemination activities and presenting their work during conferences and learning sessions. The Water and Development Partnership Programme financially supported the NBCBN Foundation throughout the development of strategy and activity plans. 

Learn more by visiting the NBCBN website

Most countries in the MENA (Middle East and North African) region are listed among the world’s highest water stressed with the least renewable water resources per capita. The project "Supporting capacity development in the MENA region to cope with water scarcity” aims to Strengthen the Capacity of Professionals and Decision Makers in the water sector to improve water management in the MENA region countries to better cope with the challenges of stressed water resources under the impacts of climate change. The project will result in increased capacity of water professionals to meet water specific SDGs under global change, stronger links between research and education to support water specific SDGs, improved institutional capacities and active communities of practice in the MENA region, and open access online courseware through IHE’s website to support water scarcity solutions and sustainable development in the MENA region. Main activities include MSc level training, regional short courses and open-access courseware. 

Medium sized cities are finding that they are unprepared for the new demands on water resources, pollution control and flood protection. Many of the challenges these cities are facing are shared by other cities, regionally and even globally. Often they have complementary strengths and weaknesses and by cooperating, they can offer reciprocal support and knowhow. Logically many organisations (EC, UN, WB) call for partnerships between cities. City-to-city learning aimed to build greater institutional and human capacity to accelerate progress towards e.g. climate resilience.

The project implemented a training course which was developed for mid- and high-level climate professionals from 4 Vietnamese cities with experience in climate adaptation and a history of working together in projects (e.g. the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network [ACCCRN], supported by the Rockefeller Foundation): Ho Chi Minh, Can Tho, Da Nang City and Quy Nhon. These professionals progressed through half a year of intensive work and learning involving among other 2 face-to-face training sessions and a challenging on-the-job group assignment to implement city-to-city learning. In this way, the project helped to strengthen existing partnerships between these cities and with the local knowledge / education institutes. In addition, the course helped to build the leadership capacity required to activate and drive a city-to-city learning network on climate adaptation. It has created multiple opportunities for information exchange and learning among peers, and established and harnessed a dedicated network of emerging water leaders that sustains beyond the project and will act as an ‘intervision’ group for climate adaptation.

To learn more about the project read the article ‘Improving leadership to kick-start climate change adaptation, from city-to-city’ by clicking here, or reach out to Prof. Chris Zevenbergen: [email protected].

The city-to-city learning project was funded by the DUPC2 programme (project 106794). The project was implemented from November 2016 until November 2017.