1. UNESCO’ multidisciplinary approach to develop
adaptation strategies:
The impact of glacier retreat in the Andes: International
Multidisciplinary Network for Adaptation Strategies
Siegfried Demuth
International Hydrological Programme
Hydrological Systems and Global Change Section
UNESCO, Paris

2. How will Climate effect water
Availability?
Can we predict the future
changes which are responsive
to “user” needs?

3. Wallling 2008

4. Human activity has increased dramatically
over the last 60 years
Steffen et al. (2004)
Wagener et al (2010)
Human activity now rivals
geologic‐scale forces
[Kieffer, 2009], with a
footprint that is deepening
and widening rapidly
across the planet

5. Changing Glaciers
Impacts Who cares?
1. landscape tourism, safety
2. culture/spirituality mountain societies
3. regional water availability systems downriver
4. global sea level costal societies/infrastructures
5. climate indicators (instruments) science → society
Georg Kaser, 2011

6. Strengthening global water initiatives to
Sustain world water governance
The IHP oval is in bold for
readability only, since it overlaps
with so many other initiatives. The
acronyms identify various global
water initiatives, and their
placement is a schematic attempt
to situate them according to their
primary institutional aims.
By: Varady, Robert G., Katherine
Meehan, John Rodda, Matthew
Iles-Shih, and Emily McGovern
(2008)

7. UNESCO’S Intergovernmental
Scientific Cooperative Programme in
Hydrology and Water Resources
The International Hydrological Programme (IHP) is the only
Intergovernmental programme of the UN system devoted to
water research, water resources management, and
education and capacity building.
The programme, tailored to Member State’s needs, is
implemented in six- year phases- allowing it to adapt to a
rapidly changing world.

8. Water dependencies:
Systems under Stress and Societal
Response

9. Water at UNESCO:
"The three plus one pillars"
• International Hydrological Programme- IHP
IHP Secretariat : Paris+ Field Offices + Regional settings
National Committees in member states - 161
UN World Water Assessment Programme:
periodical compilation of the World Water Development Report
(WWDR) four issues (2003, 2006, 2009, 2012)
Network of 26+ (more in the pipeline) IHP Water
Centers
UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education:
Postgraduate education for water professionals (Delft, The
Netherlands)

10. IHP VIII (2014-2021)“Water Security:
Responses to Local, Regional, and Global
Challenges”
Water-related
Disasters and
Hydrological
Change
Groundwater
in a Changing
Environment
Addressing
Water
Scarcity and
Quality
Water and
Human
Settlements
of the Future
Ecohydrology,
Engineering
Harmony for
a Sustainable
World
Water
Education,
Key for Water
Security
Water Security: Responses to Local, Regional, and Global Challenges

12. IHP initiative:
Assessment of Snow, Glacier
and Water Resources

13. T h e n e e d f o r a w o r l d w i d e
inventory of existing perennial ice
and snow masses was first
c o n s i d e r e d d u r i n g t h e
International Hydrological Decade
(1965- 1974) declared by UNESCO

14. • Which of the river systems are most affected by snow-
and glacier-melt contributions to streamflow?
• Will the relative importance of snow and glacier melt
compared to rainfall change with global warming?
• How many people within each river basin will be affected
by changes to river regimes and to what extent will their
lives and livelihoods be affected?

15. Series of Workshop and meetings undertaken within the
framework of
Working Group on Snow, Ice and
Glaciers (GTNH)-LAC

16. Regional Workshop: Melting snow and glaciers in the Andes:
Science, technology and policy for adaptation to cope with
complexity in the context of climate change
12-15 September 2011, Santiago, Chile

17. Inception workshop
The Impact of Glacier Retreat in the Andes: International
Multidisciplinary Network for Adaptation Strategies
Lima , Peru 29-30, May 2012

18. 28-30 November 2006, Almaty
Kazakhstan
Regional Workshop:
Assessment of Snow-Glacier and Water Resources in Asia

19. The Impact of Glacier Retreat in the
Andes: International
Multidisciplinary Network for
Adaptation Strategies
2012-2015

20. Objectives
• Reduce uncertainty through downscaling and customizing global
climate change scenarios and to assess water availability and
demand scenarios for the Andean region (Case studies);
• Raise awareness and enhance capacities to assess, monitor and
communicate the impacts of and responses to climate change on
natural and socio-economic environments at local, national and
regional levels;
• Develop strategies and policy guidelines considering
vulnerabilities, opportunities and potentials for adaptation, with
particular reference to strengthening the role of local communities;
• Facilitate and strengthen ongoing research activities in the region;
• Develop education and training activities

21. Group A: Climate impact assessment: snow,
glacier, and water resources
• training workshop on climate trend analysis and
downscaling of climate scenarios and;
• field course on glacier monitoring and mass
balance.

22. Group B: Vulnerability assessment
• Environmental and non-environmental drivers
of vulnerability;
• key determinants of vulnerability and
challenges for adaptive capacity;
• identification of land use changes and socio-
economic conditions as a result of climate
change;
• Identification of most vulnerable communities
and groups.

23. Group C: Policy assessment
Review current and future national adaptation
strategies and their relevance to community level;
Policy impact analysis and policy changes.
Constraints for policy implementation
Opportunities for policies at the national and
regional levels

24. IHP coordinated programme
UNESCO’s global programme “Climate Change
Impacts in Major Mountainous Regions of the
World: Multidisciplinary Network for Adaptation
Strategies (Africa, Asia, Latin America, and
Europe)”

25. Objectives
• to enhanced resilience to global change, particularly
climate change, through improved understanding of
vulnerabilities, opportunities and potentials for
adaptation.
• to develop strategies and policies based on
scientific/evidence-based knowledge in major
mountain regions of Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin
America.

26. • To raise awareness and strengthen human and institutional
capacities to cope with climate change impacts and develop
adaptation strategies for mountain regions;
• To identify the most vulnerable communities and groups in
selected study area;
• To analyze conditions for a policy framework to support
mountain communities to adapt to climate change and to
develop best practise strategies.

27. ACTIVITIES (2013)
Regional workshops (2013)
Regional workshops will be organized in Africa, Asia and Latin
America involving glaciologists, hydrologists, water resources
experts, mountain biosphere managers, representatives from
Natural Heritage sites, policy-makers, social scientists, local
stakeholders and experts from UNESCO’s International
Hydrological Programme (IHP) and Man and the Biosphere
(MAB) networks.
Kathmandu, Nepal, March 2013
San Jose, Costa Rica August, 2013
Nairobi, Kenya- September , 2013
Paris, France- December, 2013

28. Science policy workshop
Impacts of Global Climate Change on Snow, Glaciers and
Water Resources in the Andes: Policy recommendations
for Adaptation Strategies
Quito, Ecuador, 20-22 November 2013
Organized by: UNESCO, CONDESAN, ACCIÓN in
partnership with:
FAO Mountain Partnership Secretariat, Grupo de Trabajo de
Nieve y Hielo (GTNH-IHP)