World Water Resources at the Beginning of the Twenty-First Century

Modern assessment of the state of the world's water resources for researchers and policy-makers.

I. A. Shiklomanov (Edited by), John C. Rodda (Edited by)

9780521617222, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 16 December 2004

452 pages, 189 b/w illus. 239 tables
27.7 x 20.8 x 2.2 cm, 1.025 kg

'The global yet geographically explicit scope of this book makes it a highly valuable and ultimately essential update to related earlier publications. … a landmark compendium for all involved in water resources research and management worldwide.' Dieter Gerten, Hydrological Sciences Journal

This volume provides a modern assessment of the state of the world's water resources. It collects in one place a huge amount of data. A uniform methodological approach for each continent is then built upon to analyse the dynamics of water resources, water use and water availability for the Earth as a whole, and for all natural-economic regions and selected countries, as well as river water inflow to the World Ocean. A dependence of water resources and water use upon climate factors and socio-economic conditions is demonstrated. Regions of water stress and deficit are highlighted, and a great increase of such regions in the future is forecast if present trends towards water use remain. The effect of anthropogenic climate change on water resources and water needs is also considered. This volume will prove to be an invaluable resource for all researchers and policy-makers involved in water resource issues.

Introduction
1. The Earth and its Physical Features
Water Resources Assessment
3. Methods for Assessing and Forecasting Global Water Use and Water Availability
4. Water Resources, Water Use, and Water Availability in Europe
5. Water Resources, Water Use, and Water Availability in Asia
6. Water Resources, Water Use, and Water Availability in Africa
7. Water Resources, Water Use, and Water Availability in North America
8. Water Resources, Water Use, and Water Availability in South America
9. Water Resources, Water Use, and Water Availability in Australia and Oceania
10. Global Renewable Water Resources in Space and Time
11. World Water Use and Water Availability
12. Climate Change and Water Resources
General Conclusions.

Subject Areas: Environmental science, engineering & technology [TQ], Limnology [freshwater RBKF]