The future of over one billion people and globally significant ecosystems hinges on collaborative efforts to address the challenges posed by climate change and water management in three critical river basins: the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra. Recent studies conducted by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the Australian Water Partnership (AWP) underline the urgent need for cooperation among stakeholders across the eight nations that share these vital water resources.

Published in March 2024, these studies highlight the indispensable role played by the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra rivers in providing food and water security to vulnerable communities while supporting industrial and economic activities in the region. However, climate change exacerbates existing pressures on water resources, leading to increased risks of floods, land erosion, and salinity. To mitigate these risks and address the humanitarian, ecological, and economic challenges, researchers emphasize the necessity for collaboration among scientists, civil society, communities, and officials across the basin countries.

The Elevating River Basin Governance and Cooperation in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) Region report series delves into the economic, ecological, energy, social, geopolitical, and governance issues specific to these river basins. It outlines key recommendations to foster cooperation and mitigate risks, urging stakeholders to rejuvenate existing treaties and explore new forms of collaboration, such as integrated river basin management (IRBM) approaches.

IRBM takes a “basin-wide” approach to river planning – underpinned by increasing the availability and sharing of high-quality and reliable data around water availability, needs, biodiversity, pollution, and other indicators of ecological health, and disaster and other risks and by the opening up discussions on water to wider stakeholder groups, especially local and Indigenous knowledge holders, and vulnerable communities especially women, disabled people and lower caste groups.

The IRBM framework encourages riparian countries to focus on shared challenges and opportunities, paving the way for future collaboration.

“For too long, water security has long been cast as a zero-sum game, but as this research shows it is possible for countries and stakeholders with varied interests to identify areas for collaboration – protect vulnerable communities, maintain biodiverse ecosystems, and grow economies. The reports emphasise the importance of harnessing Indigenous and local knowledge systems. These hold so many insights into how local communities can act to resolve problems quickly and effectively during a crisis. Governments need to empower local communities with knowledge and technology to nurture their resilience in the face of rising uncertainty,” Russell Rollason, eWater. lead author on the Indus report. 

“A water-secure future for all is still within reach, but we need to think beyond borders, and think of win-win approaches to water management. The humanitarian, economic and environmental cost of our failing to embrace these new approaches now hugely outweighs the risks: and this is one arena in which science can galvanise action,” says Arun Shrestha, Strategic Group Lead, Climate and Environmental Risks, ICIMOD. 

The Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra rivers sustain millions of people across South Asia, making them vital to the region's socio-economic development. The Indus alone provides water to 268 million people in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, and China, with significant hydropower potential crucial to energy strategies in these countries. Similarly, the Ganga supports 600 million people in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and China, while the Brahmaputra sustains 114 million people in Bangladesh, India, China, and Bhutan, contributing 30% of India's freshwater sources.

The key aspects of the three reports include: (a) A detailed analysis of the Indus River Basin, its socio-economic trends, environmental characteristics, and climate change impacts, and (b) An examination of the state of basin governance, including relevant treaties, policies, and agreements.

Report I on the Yarlung-Tsangpo-Siang-Brahmaputra-Jamuna River Basin

It provides a comprehensive overview of the Brahmaputra River Basin, highlighting its significance as a crucial water resource for over 114 million people. It identifies challenges and opportunities for enhanced basin-scale management, emphasizing the potential for expanding bilateral cooperation, multilateral trade and investment fora, and mutual gains in areas of common interest.

The report offers high-level recommendations based on the available literature and global good practices for strengthening basin-wide cooperation, while emphasizing the importance of engaging all relevant stakeholders to ensure effective and inclusive basin-wide cooperation.

The report also focuses on gender and social inclusion (GESI) and engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including people with disabilities, indigenous people, and other marginalized populations in knowledge generation, dialogues, planning, and cooperation at the local and basin scales.

Report II on the Ganges River Basin

It provides a comprehensive overview of the Ganges River Basin, emphasising its significance as a crucial water source for over 600 million people. The report highlights the challenges posed by climate change, the state of basin governance, and the need for a multilateral or regional framework for enhanced basin-scale management.

It offers high-level recommendations for promoting multilateral cooperation, improving data collection and sharing, and catalysing cooperation through common goals. The report also addresses the environmental characteristics, climate change impacts, and the state of basin governance, including relevant treaties, policies, and agreements.

The report also focuses on gender and social inclusion (GESI) and engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including people with disabilities, indigenous people, and other marginalised populations in knowledge generation, dialogues, planning, and cooperation at the local and basin scales.

Report III on the Indus River Basin

The report provides a comprehensive overview of the Indus River Basin, emphasising its significance as a crucial water source for over 268 million people. The report highlights the challenges posed by climate change, stressing the expected increase in water demand and the need for a multilateral or regional framework for enhanced basin-scale management.

The report offers high-level recommendations for climate resilience, food and water security, regional water governance, and the adoption of common approaches and tools. Furthermore, it underscores the need for a people-centered approach, and the documentation of existing knowledge and success stories of marginalised groups.

The report also focuses on gender and social inclusion (GESI) and engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including people with disabilities, indigenous people, and other marginalized populations in knowledge generation, dialogues, planning, and cooperation at the local and basin scales.