The Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources: Lessons from Villages of Tonk District of Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Climate change is a major concern in Rajasthan’s water-stressed state. Climate change has a direct impact on the water resources in many parts of the state. In comparison to the rest of the country, the state has a larger portion of desert or arid lands (58% of the total geographical area) and limited water resources. Therefore, any adverse climate change conditions will likely have a catastrophic impact on the state’s already vulnerable water resource system. Attempts have been made in this study to understand the state’s climate conditions and highlight isolated past events that suggest climate change may occur in the state. It is emphasised that climate change modelling for various types of climate is required. To develop optimal water resource management strategies for different zones, cutting-edge tools such as remote sensing and geospatial tools must be used. The study’s overarching goal is to comprehend the impact of climate change on the study area’s water resources. The study’s objectives are as follows: (1) to determine the effects of climate change on the water resources of the study location, (2) to investigate the nature and impact of climate change-induced drought disasters in the study area, (3) to identify methods and strategies for mitigating potential risks and vulnerabilities due to climatic variations and (4) determine the scope of research and policy action in response to identified current and future vulnerabilities, as well as the anticipated effects of climate change. The descriptive study used both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. A total of 100 respondents were chosen from the villages of Rajasthan’s Tonk district for quantitative data collection and 05 in-depth interviews with various stakeholders were conducted for qualitative analysis. The study revealed that indigenous knowledge systems have allowed various communities in the area to live in harmony with their environments for generations and that their traditional knowledge systems are essential tools in environment conservation and natural disaster management. Again, according to the study, the majority of respondents believe that climate change is a cause of drought disasters, which should be addressed through effective participatory research. The qualitative interviews made known themes such as stakeholder participation, climate modelling, the impacts of climate change on key development sectors, adaptation needs, initiatives, opportunities, and so on. The findings imply that climate change is one of the critical reasons for the occurrence of drought disasters in the study area and the state as a whole; drought and climate change have severely impacted water resources. To conclude, the study emphasises the emerging need for research, policy, and action to mitigate the impact of climate change on water resources and related areas.