Climate change and water resources in Algeria: vulnerability, impact and adaptation strategy

Mohammed Touitou; Abul Quasem Al-Aminb

doi:10.25167/ees.2018.45.23

Published: 2020-11-20

Vol. 18 No. 1 (45) (2018)

Climate change and water resources in Algeria: vulnerability, impact and adaptation strategy

Mohammed Touitou

, Abul Quasem Al-Aminb

Economic and Environmental Studies

Section: Articles

https://doi.org/10.25167/ees.2018.45.23

Abstract

The climate changes going on for a long time now have ceased to be a scientific curiosity. They constitute the major environmental question which dominates our time and pose the major challenge to environmental organizations of control. Water is one of the most important raw materials in Algeria. Because of its importance, it is essential to know its vulnerability with the climate changes. In Algeria, the vulnerability due to the climate changes is expressed through several aspects: demographic explosion, probable reduction in the water run-offs, scarcity of the resources, the degradation of the hydraulic infrastructures, threats to wetlands, etc. In the face of this situation, Algeria has taken quantitative and qualitative adaptive measures within the framework of durable management of this invaluable resource for the future.

Keywords:

climate changes, water, vulnerability, strategy of adaptation, Algeria

Download files

pdf

Citation rules

Touitou, M., & Al-Aminb, A. Q. (2020). Climate change and water resources in Algeria: vulnerability, impact and adaptation strategy. Economic and Environmental Studies, 18(1 (45), 411–429. https://doi.org/10.25167/ees.2018.45.23

Cited by / Share

Licence

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

References

Agoumi, A. (2003). Vulnerability of the Maghreb countries to address climate change. Real and urgent need for an adaptation strategy and means for its implementation. Morocco, International Institute for Sustainable Development, p. 14.
Google Scholar

Anonymous (2009). Problems of the water sector and impacts related to climate in Algeria. UNDP. Algeria, p19.
Google Scholar

Arrus R., Rousset N. (2006). The Maghreb Agriculture challenge of climate change: what strategies to adapt to the scarcity of water resources? Tripoli, Economics Laboratory of Production and International Integration. Energy Group and Policies of the Environment, p. 10.
Google Scholar

Babel, M.S.; Wahid, S.M. (2009). Freshwater Under Threat: South Asia—Vulnerability Assessment of Freshwater Resources to Environmental Change; United Nations Environment Programme: Nairobi, Kenya, 2009.
Google Scholar

Bates, B.C.; Kundzewicz, Z.W.; Wu, S.; Palutikof, J.P. (2008). Climate Change and Water; Technical Paper for Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Geneva, Switzerland, 2008.
Google Scholar

Bolin, B. (1980). Climate change and their effects on the biosphere. Genève, OMM.
Google Scholar

Bouziani, M. (2006). Water in all its states. Ed. Dar El Gharb, Algeria, p. 260.
Google Scholar

Brooks, N.; Adger, W.N.; Kelly, P.M. (2005). The determinants of vulnerability and adaptive capacity at the national level and the implications for adaptation. Global Environ. Change 2005, 15, pp. 151–163.
Google Scholar

Chalecki, E.L.; Gleick, P.H. (1999). A framework of ordered climate effects on water resources: A comprehensive bibliography. J. Am. Water Resour. As. 1999, 35, pp. 1657–1665.
Google Scholar

Cutter, S.L. (1996). Vulnerability to environmental hazards. Prog. Hum. Geog. 1996, 20, pp. 529–539.
Google Scholar

Füssel, H.M. (2007). Vulnerability: A generally applicable conceptual framework for climate change research. Global Environ. Change 2007, 17, pp. 155–167.
Google Scholar

Füssel, H.M.; Klein, R.J.T. (2006). Climate change vulnerability assessments: An evolution of conceptual thinking. Climatic Change 2006, 75, pp. 301–329.
Google Scholar

Gober, P.; Kirkwood, C.W. (2010). Vulnerability assessment of climate-induced water shortage in Phoenix. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2010, 107, pp. 21295–21299.
Google Scholar

Hamouda, M.A.; Nour El-Din, M.M.; Moursy, F.I. (2009). Vulnerability assessment of water resources system in the Eastern Nile Basin. Water Resour. Manag. 2009, 23, pp. 2697–2725.
Google Scholar

Hinkel, J. (2011) Indicators of vulnerability and adaptive capacity—Towards a clarification of the science-policy interface. Global Environ. Change 2011, 21, pp. 198–208.
Google Scholar

Hurd, B.; Leary, N.; Jones, R.; Smith, J. (1999). Relative regional vulnerability of water resources to climate change. J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc. 1999, 35, pp. 1399–1409.
Google Scholar

Hyde, K.M.; Maier, H.R.; Colby, C.B. (2004). Reliability-based approach to multicriteria decision analysis for water resources. J. Water Res. Pl-ASCE 2004, 130, pp. 429–438.
Google Scholar

INRAA, (2011). Overview of irrigation in Algeria and Research prospects. M. Semiani. Powerpoint presentation.
Google Scholar

Jones, R.N. (2001). An environmental risk assessment/management framework for climate change impact assessments. Nat. Hazards 2001, 23, pp. 197–230.
Google Scholar

Kadi A., (1997). The water management in Algeria, Hydrological Sciences (journal of Hydrological Sciences), Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 191-197.
Google Scholar

Kerbachi R., F. Sahnoune (2011), Comment l’Algérie se prépare aux changements climatiques, Actes Journée de l’Energie, 13 avril 2011, Algiers
Google Scholar

Kettab, A. (2001). Water Resources in Algeria, strategies, challenges and vision, Elsevier Science.
Google Scholar

Kundzewicz, Z.W.; Mata, L.J.; Arnell, N.W.; Döll, P.; Kabat, P.; Jiménez, B.; Miller, K.A.; Oki, T.; Sen, Z.; Shiklomanov, I.A. (2007). Freshwater resources and their management. In Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; Parry, M.L., Canziani, O.F., Palutikof, J.P., van der Linden, P.J., Hanson, C.E., Eds.; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 2007; pp. 173–210.
Google Scholar

Laborde et al. (2010). A high-resolution coral-based d14c record of surface water processes in the western Mediterranean Sea. Proceedings of the 21st International Radiocarbon Conference edited by A. J. T Jull & C. Hatté RADIOCARBON, Vol 55, Nr 2–3, 2013, pp. 1617–1630.
Google Scholar

Luers, A.L. (2005). The surface of vulnerability: An analytical framework for examining environmental change. Global Environ. Change 2005, 15, pp. 214–223.
Google Scholar

MATE (2010), Ministère de l’Aménagement du Territoire et de l’environnement (Ministry of Land Planning and Environment). Seconde communication nationale de l’Algérie sur les changements climatiques à la CCNUCC, projet GEF –PNUD 00039149, 2010, Algiers
Google Scholar

MEDDI Mr. HUBERT J. (2002). - Climate change and its impacts on water resources. International forum organized by ACMAD climate change in the Mediterranean countries and Africa. Algiers, Algeria.
Google Scholar

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Ecosystem and Human Wellbeing: Current State and Trends; Island Press: Washington, DC, USA, 2005.
Google Scholar

Moss, R.H.; Brenkert, A.L.; Malone, E.L. (2001). Vulnerability to Climate Change: A Quantitative Approach; Technical Report PNNL-SA-33642; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory: Richland, WA, USA, 2001.
Google Scholar

ONM, National Weather Office, internal report, 2009, Algiers.
Google Scholar

Pandey, V.P.; Babel, M.S.; Kazama, F. (2009). Analysis of a Nepalese water resources system: Stress, adaptive capacity and vulnerability. Water Sci. Technol. 2009, 9, pp. 213–222.
Google Scholar

Pandey, V.P.; Babel, M.S.; Shrestha, S.; Kazama, F. (2011). A framework to assess adaptive capacity of the water resources system in Nepalese river basins. Ecol. Indic. 2011, 11, pp. 480–488.
Google Scholar

Pandey, V.P.; Babel, M.S.; Shrestha, S.; Kazama, F. (2010). Vulnerability of freshwater resources in large and medium Nepalese river basins to environmental change. Water Sci. Technol. 2010, 61, pp. 1525–1534.
Google Scholar

Patt, A.G.; Schroter, D.; de la Vega-Leinert, A.C.; Klein, R.J.T. (2008). Vulnerability research and assessment to support adaptation and mitigation: Common themes from the diversity of approaches. In Environmental Vulnerability Assessment; Patt, A.G., Schroter, D., de la Vega-Leinert, A.C.,Klein, R.J.T., Eds.; Earthscan: London, UK, 2008.
Google Scholar

Simonovic, S.P. Water Resources Management: A System View. Available online: http://www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Water_Front_Articles/2009/WRMASystemsView.pdf (accessed on 15 May 2017).
Google Scholar

Sullivan, C.A. (2011). Quantifying water vulnerability: A multi-dimensional approach. Stoch. Env. Res. Risk Assess. 2011, 25, pp. 627–640.
Google Scholar

Surface water resources mobilization; document of Algerian Ministry of Water Resources, February 2012.
Google Scholar

Tessendorff, H. (1992). The Dublin statement on water and sustainable development. Presented at International Conference on Water and Environment, Dublin, Ireland, 29–31 December 1992. Available online: http://www.inpim.org/files/Documents/DublinStatmt.pdf (accessed on8 February 2012).
Google Scholar

The action plan 2010-2014; Mobilization and demineralization of brackish; document of Algerian Ministry of Water Resources, September 2012.
Google Scholar

Thywissen, K. (2006). Components of Risk: A Comparative Glossary; Studies of the University: Research, Counsel, Education (SOURCE) Publication Series No 2; United Nations University- Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS): Bonn, Germany, 2006.
Google Scholar

Turner, B.L.; Kasperson, R.E.; Matsone, P.A.; McCarthy, J.J.; Corell, R.W.; Christensen, L.; Eckley, L.; Kasperson, J.X.; Luerse, A; Martello, M.L.; et al. (2003). A framework for vulnerability analysis in sustainability science. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2003, 100, pp. 8074–8079.
Google Scholar

Underground water resources mobilization; document of Algerian Ministry of Water Resources, February 2012
Google Scholar

UN-Water. Key Messages on Climate Change and Water Prepared for COP-15; UN-Water: New York, NY, USA. Available online: http://www.unwater.org/downloads/UNWclimatechange_EN.pdf (accessed on 13 May 2017).
Google Scholar

Vörösmarty, C.J.; Green, P.; Salisbury, J.; Lammers, R.B. (2000). Global water resources: Vulnerability from climate change and population growth. Science 2000, 289, pp. 284–288.
Google Scholar

World Bank: WB data available in http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.CO2E.PC
Google Scholar