Impacts of Global Change on the Hydrological Cycle in West and Northwest Africa [Hardcover]

Africa is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In particular shortage of fresh water is expected to be the dominant water problem for West and Northwest Africa of the 21th century. In order to solve present and projected future problems concerning fresh water supply, a highly interdisciplinary approach is used in the book. Strategies are offered for a sustainable and future-oriented water management. Based on different scenarios, a range of management options is suggested with the aid of Information Systems and Spatial Decision Support Systems for two river catchments in Northwest and West Africa: the wadi Dr?a in south-eastern Morocco and the Ou?m? basin in Benin. The selected catchments are representative in the sense: what can be learnt from these catchments for other similar catchments?

Written from an interdisciplinary perspective, this volume provides strategies for sustainable water management for the future of West and Northwest Africa. The text presents a range of management options based on different scenarios for two river catchments in the region.

Part IFundamentals and process understanding, 1. Introduction, 2. Impacts of Global Change, 3. Regional Geography of West and Northwest Africa: An Introduction, 4. Measurement Concepts, 5. Atmosphere, 6. Continental Hydrosphere, 7. Biosphere, 8. Anthrosphere, 9. SummaryPart IIFuture Projections and Decision support, 1. Introduction: The IMPETUS method, 2. The IMPETUS Spatial Decision Support Systems, 3. Scenarios, 4. Impacts of Global Change in Benin, 5. Impacts of Global Change in Southern Morocco, 6. Summary and ConclusionsHow can Africa?s finite water and land resources be managed sustainably under the influence of Global Change so as to meet the growing needs of humans in ways that avert the looming crisis? The need to find answers to this question has taxed the brains of many scientists who recognize the urgency of these problems. The pressing water problems must clearly belÐ