Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources Availability and Adaptation Strategies in Vulnerable Communities: A Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71068/p6sny428Keywords:
climate change, water resources, vulnerable communities, adaptation, rainwater harvestingAbstract
Climate change constitutes one of the main threats to water security in Latin America, especially in rural and vulnerable communities that directly depend on natural resources for their subsistence. Therefore, the objective is to analyze the available scientific evidence on the impacts of climate variability and the reduction in water availability, with special attention to the Amazon, the Andes, and semi-arid zones of the region. A qualitative method with an explanatory approach and a bibliographic review are applied, through which studies published in indexed journals between 2010 and 2023 are compiled and systematized, prioritizing research on climate modeling, precipitation variability, water scarcity, and adaptation strategies. As a result, the study shows an accelerated retreat of Andean glaciers, decreased water flows in the Amazon, and increased frequency of droughts in arid areas, which compromise food security, health, and local economic development. Solutions based on rainwater harvesting, community reservoirs, low-cost treatment technologies, and participatory resource management are also identified. The discussion highlights that responses must be adapted to the geographic and sociocultural context, integrating both technological innovation and local knowledge. The conclusion is that water resilience is only possible through a comprehensive approach that combines science, governance, and community participation, accompanied by flexible public policies and sustainable financing
References
Buytaert, W., Dewulf, A., De Bièvre, B., Clark, J., & Hannah, D. M. (2017). Citizen science for water resources management: Toward polycentric monitoring in the Andes. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 143(6), 04017005. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)WR.1943-5452.0000760
CEPAL. (2020). La emergencia del cambio climático en América Latina y el Caribe. https://foronacionalambiental.org.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/LibroEmergenciaCC-CEPAL.pdf
Escudero, C. (2019). El análisis temático como herramienta de investigación en el área de la comunicación social: aportes y limitaciones. La trama de la comunicación, v. 24 (2). https://www.redalyc.org/journal/3239/323964237005/
Garreaud, R. D., Alvarez-Garreton, C., Barichivich, J., Boisier, J. P., Christie, D., Galleguillos, M., LeQuesne, C., McPhee, J., & Zambrano-Bigiarini, M. (2017). The 2010–2015 megadrought in central Chile: Impacts on regional hydroclimate and vegetation. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 21(12), 6307–6327. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-6307-2017
Hernández, R. y Mendoza, C. (2018). Metodología de la investigación: las rutas cualitativa y cuantitativa. Editorial McGraw Hill.
Herrera-Londoño, J., Silva, G., Lozano, A., & Méndez, J. (2024). Assessing rainwater quality and harvesting potential: A spatial analysis in a medium-sized city of Colombia (Villavicencio). Water, 16(23), 3411. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16233411
Inter-American Development Bank (Rovira et al.). (2020). Is rainwater harvesting a solution for water access in Latin America and the Caribbean? An economic analysis for underserved households in El Salvador. Inter-American Development Bank. https://publications.iadb.org/en/rainwater-harvesting-solution-water-access-latin-america-and-caribbean-economic-analysis
Jaimes, J. (2021). Las presiones detrás del desastre ambiental que viven en la amazonia. https://infoamazonia.org/es/2021/04/27/las-presiones-detras-del-desastre-ambiental-que-vive-la-amazonia/
Lavado Casimiro, W. S., Labat, D., Guyot, J.-L., & Ardoin-Bardin, S. (2011). Assessment of climate change impacts on the hydrology of the Peruvian Amazon–Andes basin. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 56(5), 947–960. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2011.595372
Lavado Casimiro, W. S., Labat, D., Guyot, J.-L., Ardoin-Bardin, S., & Zappa, M. (2011). Assessment of climate change impacts on the hydrology of the Peruvian Amazon–Andes basin. Hydrological Sciences Journal / Journal des Sciences Hydrologiques. (Artículo y enlaces en Wiley / ResearchGate). https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2013.862336
Marengo, J. A., Nobre, C., Tomasella, J., Cardoso, M., & Oyama, M. (2018). Changes in climate and land use over the Amazon region: Current and future variability and trends. Frontiers in Earth Science, 6, 228. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2018.00228
Observed and projected hydroclimate changes in the Andes (review). (2020). Frontiers in Earth Science. (Revisión regional que sintetiza observaciones y proyecciones en la cordillera). https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.00061
ONU. (30 de octubre de 2021). Cambio climático. https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health
Ramírez-Cendrero, J. M., & Chávez, C. (2020). El cambio climático y la disponibilidad del agua: Una revisión desde América Latina. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales, 65(240), 361–390. https://doi.org/10.22201/fcpys.2448492xe.2020.240.76356
Rodríguez, C., García, B., Pinto, C., Sánchez, R., Serrano, J., & Leiva, E. (2022). Water context in Latin America and the Caribbean: Distribution, regulations and prospects for water reuse and reclamation. Water, 14(21), 3589. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14213589
Rovira, J., Giordano, R., & de Luca, D. (2020). Is rainwater harvesting a solution for water access in Latin America and the Caribbean? An economic analysis for underserved households in El Salvador. Inter-American Development Bank. https://publications.iadb.org/en/rainwater-harvesting-solution-water-access-latin-america-and-caribbean-economic-analysis
Valdiviezo-Gonzales, L., Aquino, A., Rivas, R., & Flores, C. (2023). Rainwater harvesting and storage systems for domestic supply: An overview of research for water scarcity management in rural areas. Sustainability, 15(24), 16650. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416650
Vuille, M. (2013). Climate change and water resources in the Tropical Andes (IDB Technical Note No. IDB-TN-515). Inter-American Development Bank. https://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Climate-Change-and-Water-Resources-in-the-Tropical-Andes.pdf
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Roger Audes Baltazar Flores, Jorge Wilmer Elias Silupu, Alejandro Wilber Padilla Sevillano, Luis Alberto Alva Reyes (Autor/a)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.