Adaptation policy and practice in densely populated glacier-fed river basins of South Asia : a systematic review

This paper reviews literature for three major glacier-fed river systems of South Asia, the Brahmaputra, Ganga, and Indus, to understand governance mechanisms for climate adaptation in the region. A systematic review methodology is applied to examine adaptation responses in the riparian countries of these Himalayan river basins at three different levels: policy objectives, institutions, and practice. Using a systematic review methodology, it presents a comprehensive assessment of the state-of-knowledge as well as state-of-affairs with respect to climate change adaptation policy and practice in the South Asia region

Adaptation policy and practice in densely populated glacier-fed river basins of South Asia: a systematic review

Rivers are the cultural, social and economic backbone of South Asia. Himalayan glaciers provide source water for Asian river systems, irrigating millions of hectares of fields, and supporting close to a billion people who live in their catchments. This paper reviews literature for three major glacier-fed river systems of South Asia—Brahmaputra, Ganga and Indus—to understand governance mechanisms for climate adaptation in the region. Policy ambiguity at the national level in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan raises questions about the capacity of the region to operationalize principles of adaptive governance. Better seasonal climate information and flood risk maps are essential