The Paraná River Basin Managing Water Resources to Sustain Ecosystem Services

About this book

This book provides insight into the hydrology, ecosystem services and management of water resources in the Paraná River basin, including the importance of water to the socio-economic development of the countries within the watershed.

Running through Brazil. Paraguay and Argentina, the Paraná River and its watershed is home to some of South America's major population centers as well as important ecosystems threatened by development. At the same time, the river is a major resource driving the economies of the nations within its boundaries. This volume examines the impacts of environmental degradation, and the tradeoffs between the energy sector and the maintenance of ecosystem services. In particular, it focuses on the threats from development to sensitive ecosystems within the basin and the challenges of transboundary management of water resources. In addition to presenting wider perspectives on water management, The Paraná River Basin specifically covers water infrastructure, aquatic ecosystems, water quality, geomorphological influences and the impact of climate change. Finally, by assessing each country's current status in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals this volume provides a timely analysis as national governments within the basin are becoming increasingly concerned about the sustainability of the freshwater ecosystems within the Paraná River basin.

The Paraná River Basin will be of great interest to students and scholars of water and natural resource management, environmental policy, sustainable development and Latin American studies. It will also be relevant to water management professionals.

Contents

1. The Paraná River Basin and its Ecosystem Services / Chris D. Metcalfe and Mirta L. Menone
2. Water Resources: Status and Management Challenges / Paulo Cesar Rocha, Antonio Cezar Leal, Renata Ribeiro de Araújo, et al.
3. Geomorphological and Sedimentological Characteristics / Oscar Orfeo, José Stevaux and Daniel Parsons
4. Water Infrastructure / José Galizia Tundisi and Takako Matsumura-Tundisi
5. Ecosystems / Pablo Collins and Mercedes R. Marchese
6. Climate Change Impacts / Walter Collischonn, João Paulo Lyra Fialho Brêda, Vinícius Alencar Siqueira et al.
7. Water Quality and Impacts of Development / Mirta L. Menone and Franco Teixeira de Mello
8. Transboundary Cooperation / Alejandro Pastori and Francesco Sindico
9. Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals for Water and Sanitation / Chris D. Metcalfe and José Esteban Castro

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Biography

Chris D. Metcalfe is a Senior Advisor for Latin America and Caribbean at the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health in Canada. He is also a Professor in the School in the School of the Environment at Trent University in Canada.

Mirta L. Menone has been a Lecturer at the University of Mar del Plata (UNMDP) since 2000. Since 2005, she has been a Researcher supported by the National Research Council of Argentina working at the Institute of Marine and Coastal Research at UNMDP.

Pablo Collins is a Researcher supported by the National Research Council of Argentina, working at the National Institute of Limnology, and is also a Professor at the National University of El Litoral, both in Santa Fe, Argentina.

José G. Tundisi has been a Full Professor of Environmental Quality at FEEVALE University in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil since 2009.