A Review on the Water Dimensions, Security, and Governance for Two Distinct Regions
Non-arid region countries, including Canada, enjoy abundant water resources, while arid countries such as Qatar struggle to meet their water needs. However, climate change threats to water resources are similar for both climatic regions. Therefore, this article discusses water dimensions, security,...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Water |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/1/208 |
| _version_ | 1797431092615053312 |
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| author | Farhat Abbas Salem Al-Naemi Aitazaz A. Farooque Michael Phillips |
| author_facet | Farhat Abbas Salem Al-Naemi Aitazaz A. Farooque Michael Phillips |
| author_sort | Farhat Abbas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Non-arid region countries, including Canada, enjoy abundant water resources, while arid countries such as Qatar struggle to meet their water needs. However, climate change threats to water resources are similar for both climatic regions. Therefore, this article discusses water dimensions, security, and governance for these different regions, i.e., non-arid Canada and arid Qatar, that distinctly respond to their water-related challenges. Limitations of the article include lesser water-related literature availability for Qatar than for Canada. Canada’s water resources appear vulnerable to climate change as it is projected to face >0.6 °C above the global average of 1.6 °C for the 20th-century temperature. Qatar is extremely vulnerable to dust storms, and rising sea levels, with the maximum temperature approaching 50 °C during the summer, and flooding during the winter. The sustainable use of water resources needs to address social, economic, political, climate change, and environmental dimensions of water. Other than climate change impacts and high per capita consumption of water, Qatar faces challenges of a rise in population (~29 million as of now), acute shortage of freshwater from rainfall (~80 mm per annum), high evapotranspiration (~95% of the total rainfall), depletion of groundwater, and low agricultural productivity due to infertile lands and water scarcity, all leading to food insecurity. The sustainable use of water resources requires improved regulations for water governance and management. Comparisons of water sustainability issues, dimensions, security, and governance facilitate discussions to improve water governance structures for resource sustainability, food security, and climate change adaptability, and show how one country could learn from the experiences of the other. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:36:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-920a81b3b1a34870bff3144186ddeae4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:36:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-920a81b3b1a34870bff3144186ddeae42023-12-02T01:16:38ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412023-01-0115120810.3390/w15010208A Review on the Water Dimensions, Security, and Governance for Two Distinct RegionsFarhat Abbas0Salem Al-Naemi1Aitazaz A. Farooque2Michael Phillips3College of Engineering Technology, University of Doha for Science and Technology, Doha P.O. Box 24449, QatarOffice of the President, University of Doha for Science and Technology, Doha P.O. Box 24449, QatarFaculty of Sustainable Design Engineering, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, CanadaDirectorate of Applied Research, Innovation and Economic Development, University of Doha for Science and Technology, Doha P.O. Box 24449, QatarNon-arid region countries, including Canada, enjoy abundant water resources, while arid countries such as Qatar struggle to meet their water needs. However, climate change threats to water resources are similar for both climatic regions. Therefore, this article discusses water dimensions, security, and governance for these different regions, i.e., non-arid Canada and arid Qatar, that distinctly respond to their water-related challenges. Limitations of the article include lesser water-related literature availability for Qatar than for Canada. Canada’s water resources appear vulnerable to climate change as it is projected to face >0.6 °C above the global average of 1.6 °C for the 20th-century temperature. Qatar is extremely vulnerable to dust storms, and rising sea levels, with the maximum temperature approaching 50 °C during the summer, and flooding during the winter. The sustainable use of water resources needs to address social, economic, political, climate change, and environmental dimensions of water. Other than climate change impacts and high per capita consumption of water, Qatar faces challenges of a rise in population (~29 million as of now), acute shortage of freshwater from rainfall (~80 mm per annum), high evapotranspiration (~95% of the total rainfall), depletion of groundwater, and low agricultural productivity due to infertile lands and water scarcity, all leading to food insecurity. The sustainable use of water resources requires improved regulations for water governance and management. Comparisons of water sustainability issues, dimensions, security, and governance facilitate discussions to improve water governance structures for resource sustainability, food security, and climate change adaptability, and show how one country could learn from the experiences of the other.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/1/208adaptabilityclimate changedistant regionssustainabilitywater resources |
| spellingShingle | Farhat Abbas Salem Al-Naemi Aitazaz A. Farooque Michael Phillips A Review on the Water Dimensions, Security, and Governance for Two Distinct Regions Water adaptability climate change distant regions sustainability water resources |
| title | A Review on the Water Dimensions, Security, and Governance for Two Distinct Regions |
| title_full | A Review on the Water Dimensions, Security, and Governance for Two Distinct Regions |
| title_fullStr | A Review on the Water Dimensions, Security, and Governance for Two Distinct Regions |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Review on the Water Dimensions, Security, and Governance for Two Distinct Regions |
| title_short | A Review on the Water Dimensions, Security, and Governance for Two Distinct Regions |
| title_sort | review on the water dimensions security and governance for two distinct regions |
| topic | adaptability climate change distant regions sustainability water resources |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/1/208 |
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