Research Article
Impact of Climate Change on water resources in the Context of Brunei Darussalam: IWRM Perspectives
@INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/eai.5-10-2022.2328343, author={Shahriar Shams}, title={Impact of Climate Change on water resources in the Context of Brunei Darussalam: IWRM Perspectives}, proceedings={Proceedings of the 3rd Sriwijaya International Conference on Environmental Issues, SRICOENV 2022, October 5th, 2022, Palembang, South Sumatera, Indonesia}, publisher={EAI}, proceedings_a={SRICOENV}, year={2023}, month={4}, keywords={brunei darussalam; climate change; iwrm; water}, doi={10.4108/eai.5-10-2022.2328343} }- Shahriar Shams
Year: 2023
Impact of Climate Change on water resources in the Context of Brunei Darussalam: IWRM Perspectives
SRICOENV
EAI
DOI: 10.4108/eai.5-10-2022.2328343
Abstract
Water is vital for all living creatures, and life without water is unthinkable. The demand for freshwater over the last few decades has increased significantly due to increased population, urbanization, and erratic precipitation resulting from climate change. Brunei Darussalam, located on Borneo Island with a population of 450,000, has witnessed a change in precipitation with increased intensity. The aim of this study is to identify the impact of climate change on water resources in Brunei Darussalam and to assess the impact based on IWRM perspectives. The tidal surge in the form of back water flow has increased salinity upstream by 2.6%, which has particularly affected freshwater aquaculture. The rich biodiversity, aquatic ecosystem, flora, and fauna are facing threat due to increased salinity. Potential coral breaching near Pelumpong Island and deeper Brunei reefs are also susceptible to the effects of warming. The rise in sea level along the coastal area of Brunei Darussalam has increased by 5.5 mm/year. Besides, limited access to freshwater has impacted farming. The increase in precipitation can affect the crop yield as rice fields are prone to flooding and require a sustainable and adaptive approach like Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Coordination among the Department of Drainage and Sewerage (DDS) and the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood (DOAA) can further strengthen IWRM application in the water sector.