Análise institucional da governaça da água para adaptação á variabilidade e mudança climática um caso no semiárido Brasileiro (1997-2013).

Abstract

Investigations on the governance of water, considering climate variability and change, can lead to institutional strengthening and generating strategies to prepare for climate change. The reservoir Epitácio Pessoa is located in the semiarid region of Paraíba and is characterized by its climate variability. Climate projections also indicated this region as one of the most vulnerable to climate change in Brazil. Various water use conflicts in this reservoir are recurrent over time, in periods of extreme drought. In this sense, this study aims, considering the socio-ecological system involving the reservoir Epitácio Pessoa, perform an institutional assessment of the governance of water to climate variability and change and propose adaptation strategies. The methodology consists of analyzing institutional principles, designed by Elinor Ostrom for the governance of common resources, which were now extended to the governance of climate change adaptation in the water sector in watersheds. This analysis is applied in the socio-ecological system that involves the management of the reservoir, in a temporal perspective, and consists in two parts: documentary analysis of water resources policies and plans and analysis of strategies of adaptation to extreme events of climate variability. Thus, instruments and gaps for the governance of water are identified and strategies are designed to support the process of adaptation to climate variability and change, considering requirements for adaptive governance. Among some of the results, was identified the need for effective implementation of the existing management system through institutional strengthening, monitoring and enforcement of the implementation of the water management policy, as also the need to deal with conflicts generated by measures taken in extreme events, dealing with uncertainty and policy integration in water resources plans. The methodology allows the recommendation of institutional proposals and strategies for the governance of water resources under climate variability and change. The research process of adaptation can also be extended to the analysis of projected scenarios. It is a useful tool to trace or adjust plans to adapt to climate change and make the process of adaptive water resources management. Climate change may cause additional uncertainties in water resources management and thus require more adaptation efforts. However, learning to deal with uncertainty and conflicts under current climate variability is a way to build a management process more resilient to deal with future issues. Therefore, this analysis leads to identification of relevant aspects for water governance, considering the adaptation to climate variability and change. Key-