Climate Change, Water Quality and Water-Related Challenges: A Review with Focus on Pakistan

Toqeer Ahmed, Mohammad Zounemat-Kermani and Miklas Scholz
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Mohammad Zounemat-Kermani: Department of Water Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman 7616913439, Iran
Miklas Scholz: Division of Water Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University, PO Box 118, 22100 Lund, Sweden

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-22

Abstract: Climate variability is heavily impacting human health all around the globe, in particular, on residents of developing countries. Impacts on surface water and groundwater resources and water-related illnesses are increasing, especially under changing climate scenarios such as diversity in rainfall patterns, increasing temperature, flash floods, severe droughts, heatwaves and heavy precipitation. Emerging water-related diseases such as dengue fever and chikungunya are reappearing and impacting on the life of the deprived; as such, the provision of safe water and health care is in great demand in developing countries to combat the spread of infectious diseases. Government, academia and private water bodies are conducting water quality surveys and providing health care facilities, but there is still a need to improve the present strategies concerning water treatment and management, as well as governance. In this review paper, climate change pattern and risks associated with water-related diseases in developing countries, with particular focus on Pakistan, and novel methods for controlling both waterborne and water-related diseases are discussed. This study is important for public health care, particularly in developing countries, for policy makers, and researchers working in the area of climate change, water quality and risk assessment.

Keywords: climate variability; developing country; health impact; water and vector-borne disease; water pollution and policy; water resources management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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