Glacier preservation needs unified water management from source

Source: The post Glacier preservation needs unified water management from source has been created, based on the article “Water management in India needs a new course” published in “The Hindu” on 7 June 2025. Glacier preservation needs unified water management from source.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3-Environment

Context: The year 2025 has brought global focus on glacier preservation, marked by World Water Day’s theme and the UN’s declaration of the International Year of Glacier Preservation. These developments, along with the Decade of Action on Cryospheric Science, call for a unified approach to water management from glaciers to oceans.

Global Focus on Glaciers and Oceans

1. UN-Led Glacier Preservation Campaigns: World Water Day 2025 emphasized glacier preservation. March 21 also marked the first World Day for Glaciers. The UN launched a Decade of Action on Cryospheric Science (2025–34) to promote glacier protection.
2. Water Towers and Downstream Impact: The UN World Water Development Report 2025 highlights the role of mountain glaciers as “water towers.” Their rapid decline threatens sustainable development for mountain and downstream regions.
3. Ocean Science and Coastal Threats: 2025 is the midpoint of the UN Decade of Ocean Science (2021–30). Rising sea temperatures, marine pollution, and biodiversity loss are key concerns driving global ocean protection efforts.

Linking Mountains and Oceans through Water Systems

1. The Overlooked Upstream–Downstream Link: Water connects glaciers and oceans. While the hydrological cycle is natural, human activities like damming, diversion, and pollution alter freshwater flows and impact marine systems.
2. Need for Integrated Management: Traditional water management ignores upstream–downstream connections. The 2012 Manila Declaration proposed the Source-to-Sea (S2S) approach to manage land, freshwater, and marine resources as one system.
3. Global Cooperation through S2S Platform: The S2S Action Platform was launched in 2014 by SIWI to support coordinated action. Since January 2025, it is hosted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Source-to-Sea as a Unified Framework

1. A Single Water Continuum: The S2S approach treats freshwater and marine systems as one continuum. It challenges fragmented strategies that isolate rivers, aquifers, lakes, and oceans.
2. Reforming Project Design and Analysis: A 2012 report by the UN University recommended ending the artificial separation of water segments and applying socio-ecological system analysis to design better solutions.
3. Science for Policy Impact: These changes support better use of science in international water projects under the GEF-IW Science initiative to improve project outcomes and environmental governance.

India’s Fragmented Water Management Challenges

1. Water Stress and Pollution Trends: India faces serious water stress. A NITI Aayog report (2018) warned of 600 million people at risk and a 6% GDP loss. In 2022, 311 polluted stretches across 279 rivers were reported.
2. Dependence on Groundwater: India uses 60.5% of extractable groundwater annually. States like Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan exceed 100%. Groundwater supports 85% of drinking water and 60% of irrigation needs.
3. Multi-level Governance Complexities: Water governance is divided across local, state, national, and global levels. This fragmentation limits coordination and weakens policy effectiveness.

Policy Developments and Missed Opportunities

1. National Water Policy Revisions: India’s first water policy came in 1987. Reforms in 2015 and a draft in 2019 followed. States also have their own water policies.
2. Neglect of the S2S Approach: Despite reforms, the S2S model is rarely applied. Two case studies—on Delhi’s nutrient management and Indo-Gangetic basin—are recent efforts in this direction.
3. Need for Systemic Shift: A shift toward the S2S framework is essential. It can integrate SDGs 6 and 14, involve all stakeholders, bridge gaps between science and policy, and support sustainable water governance.

Question for practice:

Examine how the Source-to-Sea (S2S) approach can address the challenges of fragmented water management and support sustainable water governance in India.