Abstract:
This briefing note is based on a stakeholder dialogue organized by the UN World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) at the Dialogues for Water and Climate and Climate Change (D4CC) during the 16th Conference of the Parties 10 (COP16) held in Cancun, Mexico from November 29 to December 10, 2010 (more information). The note aims to bring the water agenda more fully into the international debate on the impacts of climate change. The interconnections between water and climate are complex and not isolated from other forces, pressures and opportunities generated primarily by human activities. The note summarizes the broad scientific consensus on the potential impact of climate change on water resources and water uses as well as helps us understand the environmental, social and economic implications.