Management of water resources and human adaptation to climate change : a review

Abstract

Water is the commodity of life. Water is present everywhere and is a vital need for everyone globally. Without water, many lives will be threatened as it is required for human economic and social needs. Many challenges regarding water management continue to face the world. Some of the primary challenges include; limited physical resources, a long cycle of inadequate rainfall, a rapid growing population, and stagnant economies. Complex challenges such as these, dictate a critical need to manage and conserve water resources properly. The current trends indicate that water problems will continue to become more and more complex, conflicting or interfering with other developmental sectors such as agriculture, mining and energy, industry, transportation and communications and social sectors including education, environment, health, rural and regional development.