Transboundary cooperation a potential route to sustainable development in the Indus basin

Vinca, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3051-178X, Parkinson, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4753-5198, Riahi, K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7193-3498, Byers, E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0349-5742, Siddiqi, A., Muhammad, A., Ilyas, A., Yogeswaran, N., Willaarts, B. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6589-1543, Magnuszewski, P., Awais, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6853-758X, Rowe, A., & Djilali, N. (2021). Transboundary cooperation a potential route to sustainable development in the Indus basin. Nature Sustainability 4 331-339. 10.1038/s41893-020-00654-7.

Preview

Text Vinca_Indus_cooperation_final.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (15MB) | Preview

Abstract

With a rapidly growing population of 250 million, the Indus river basin in South Asia is one of the most intensively cultivated regions on Earth, highly water stressed and lacking energy security. Yet, most studies advising sustainable development policy have lacked multi-sectoral and cross-country perspectives. Here we show how the countries in the Indus basin could lower costs for development and reduce soil pollution and water stress by cooperating on water resources and electricity and food production. According to this analysis, Indus basin countries need to increase investments to US$10 billion per yr to mitigate water scarcity issues and ensure improved access to resources by 2050. These costs could shrink to US$2 billion per yr, with economic gains for all, if countries pursued more collaborative policies. Downstream regions would benefit most, with reduced food and energy costs and improved water access, while upstream regions would benefit from new energy investments. Using integrated water–energy–land analysis, this study quantifies the potential benefits of novel avenues to sustainable development arising from greater international cooperation.

Item Type:	Article
Research Programs:	Energy (ENE) Water (WAT)
Depositing User:	Luke Kirwan
Date Deposited:	15 Dec 2020 09:06
Last Modified:	09 Sep 2024 12:48
URI:	https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/16933

Actions (login required)

View Item