Course Outline

Module 1: Climate Science and the Global Water Crisis

• Fundamentals of climate science: greenhouse gases, global warming, and climate projections

• Impacts of climate change on the hydrological cycle: precipitation variability, evapotranspiration, runoff, and groundwater recharge

• Global and regional trends: water scarcity, floods, droughts, and changing water quality

• The water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus under climate stress

• Case Study: Analyzing observed and projected climate impacts on a major river basin

Module 2: Foundations of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)

• Principles and pillars of IWRM: enabling environment, institutional roles, and management instruments

• IWRM as a strategic framework for building climate resilience

• Water governance: policies, laws, and stakeholder participation mechanisms

• Tools for water allocation, demand management, and conflict resolution

• Exercise: Applying IWRM principles to diagnose water management challenges in a stressed catchment

Module 3: Climate Risk Assessment for Water Resources

• Concepts of vulnerability, exposure, and adaptive capacity in water systems

• Methodologies for climate risk and vulnerability assessment (CRVA) in the water sector

• Data sources and tools: climate models (downscaling), hydrological models, and GIS applications

• Identifying and prioritizing climate risks for water supply, agriculture, infrastructure, and health

• Practical Workshop: Conducting a qualitative risk assessment for a community's water supply system under different climate scenarios

Module 4: Adaptation Strategies and Planning

• Menu of adaptation options for water resources: supply-side, demand-side, ecosystem-based, and institutional

• Climate-resilient water supply and sanitation (WASH) planning

• Climate-smart agriculture and irrigation water management

• Nature-based solutions (NbS) for water security: wetlands restoration, green infrastructure

• Developing a Climate Adaptation Plan for a water sector project or sub-catchment area

Module 5: Financing, Governance, and Mainstreaming

• Financing climate adaptation in the water sector: sources, barriers, and innovative mechanisms

• Mainstreaming climate change into national water policies, sector plans, and project cycles

• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) for climate adaptation in water management

• Communicating climate risks and building political will for action

• Final Capstone Exercise: In groups, participants integrate learning to present a pitch for a climate-resilient water management initiative, covering technical strategy, governance, and financing.