Importance and vulnerability of the world’s water towers

W. W. Immerzeel (), A. F. Lutz (), M. Andrade, A. Bahl, H. Biemans, T. Bolch, S. Hyde, S. Brumby, B. J. Davies, A. C. Elmore, A. Emmer, M. Feng, A. Fernández, U. Haritashya, J. S. Kargel, M. Koppes, P. D. A. Kraaijenbrink, A. V. Kulkarni, P. A. Mayewski, S. Nepal, P. Pacheco, T. H. Painter, F. Pellicciotti, H. Rajaram, S. Rupper, A. Sinisalo, A. B. Shrestha, D. Viviroli, Y. Wada, C. Xiao, T. Yao and J. E. M. Baillie
Additional contact information
W. W. Immerzeel: Utrecht University
A. F. Lutz: Utrecht University
M. Andrade: Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, Institute for Physics Research
A. Bahl: National Geographic Society
H. Biemans: Wageningen University and Research, Water and Food Group
T. Bolch: University of St Andrews
S. Hyde: National Geographic Society
S. Brumby: National Geographic Society
B. J. Davies: Royal Holloway University of London
A. C. Elmore: National Geographic Society
A. Emmer: Global Change Research Institute
M. Feng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
A. Fernández: Universidad de Concepción
U. Haritashya: University of Dayton
J. S. Kargel: Planetary Science Institute
M. Koppes: University of British Columbia
P. D. A. Kraaijenbrink: Utrecht University
A. V. Kulkarni: Divecha Center for Climate Change
P. A. Mayewski: University of Maine, Climate Change Institute
S. Nepal: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
P. Pacheco: Agua Sustentable, Irpavi
T. H. Painter: University of California
F. Pellicciotti: Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
H. Rajaram: Johns Hopkins University, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering
S. Rupper: University of Utah, Department of Geography
A. Sinisalo: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
A. B. Shrestha: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
D. Viviroli: University of Zurich, Department of Geography
Y. Wada: International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
C. Xiao: Beijing Normal University
T. Yao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
J. E. M. Baillie: National Geographic Society

Nature, 2020, vol. 577, issue 7790, 364-369

Abstract: Abstract Mountains are the water towers of the world, supplying a substantial part of both natural and anthropogenic water demands1,2. They are highly sensitive and prone to climate change3,4, yet their importance and vulnerability have not been quantified at the global scale. Here we present a global water tower index (WTI), which ranks all water towers in terms of their water-supplying role and the downstream dependence of ecosystems and society. For each water tower, we assess its vulnerability related to water stress, governance, hydropolitical tension and future climatic and socio-economic changes. We conclude that the most important (highest WTI) water towers are also among the most vulnerable, and that climatic and socio-economic changes will affect them profoundly. This could negatively impact 1.9 billion people living in (0.3 billion) or directly downstream of (1.6 billion) mountainous areas. Immediate action is required to safeguard the future of the world’s most important and vulnerable water towers.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1822-y

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