South Asia ranks high on lists of the most threatened regions from climate change. According to the Global Climate Risk Index for 1997-2016,1 Pakistan and Bangladesh are ranked in the ten most affected countries; India is ranked in the 20 most affected countries; and Afghanistan, China and Nepal are ranked in the 50 most affected countries.

Extreme climatic events lead to more frequent, severe and widespread floods and droughts, which can destabilize ecosystems, negatively impact on human livelihoods and supporting infrastructure, and lead to substantial economic losses. Managing and responding to these events requires an integrated perspective that accounts for the use and demand of water across sectors and eco-regions, including shared rivers and aquifers.

The objective of the regional workshop is to improve the in-country and cross-border authorising environment (attitudes and policy) for regional connectivity in South Asia by building awareness and “championing” the need for, and benefits from, increased regional cooperation on managing water extremes—in particular, on water scarcity (including droughts) and floods. This will be achieved through workshop sessions that focus on:

• Strengthening the comprehensive understanding of the current and anticipated future water scarcity, drought and flood challenges and solutions in South Asia;
• Facilitating knowledge sharing (on new disruptive technologies, institutions, best practices for building resilience to water scarcity (including droughts) and floods both for people and ecosystems) among different stakeholders in South Asia; and
• Showcasing strategies and methodologies to improve sharing of hydrometeorological data and modernization and forecasting in South Asia.

Regional Workshop Agenda