Hello, the question of water is absolutely central. Human-caused climate change adds to natural variability for wet and dry extremes and combines with pollution and the biodiversity crisis. when we talk about water resources, we must consider all these dimensions. In the territories, it has always been necessary to manage 1. quantity (in relation to demand and therefore to needs and uses) 2. quality. You also have to look at access to the resource: not everyone has access to the same water, everywhere, everywhere. Water is a resource for which we must pay, for example. Schematically, human-caused climate change is increasing pressure on territories where water resources were already under pressure. At the same time, there may be degradation of this resource (in quantity or quality) where it previously existed satisfactorily in relation to the need. Added to this are the developments specific to the territory: demography, economy, individual and collective values, etc. The challenge is therefore to guarantee access to water in sufficient quantity and quality, in a more constrained context, which implies arbitrating and prioritizing needs. With the same options as for the rest: gain in efficiency while developing a sobriety of uses (and avoid wasting), distribute the effort fairly, protect the vulnerable, etc. Also pay attention to maladaptations, which lock in emissions and destroy biodiversity or the soil. In concrete terms, the question of water is an old problem, with already multiple instruments: whether it concerns risk prevention, management of aquatic environments, the great water cycle, we have regulatory instruments, legal, nominal, governance bodies (role of basin agencies, role of local water committees, SAGE, SDAGE, etc.), technical solutions (including nature-based solutions), etc. But we lack coherence and a more regular evaluation, which fully integrates the changing climate.
How to adapt to an increasingly concrete climate change? Geographer Magali Reghezza-Zitt answers your questions
