Water Environment Policy and Climate Change: A Comparative Study of India and South Korea

Abstract

Climate change is considered to be a potential cause of global warming, which leads to a continuous rise in the global atmospheric temperature. This rising temperature also alters precipitation conditions and patterns, thereby causing frequent occurrences of extreme calamity, particularly droughts and floods. Much evidence has been documented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, illustrating fluctuations in precipitation patterns caused by global climate change. Recent studies have also highlighted the adverse impact of climate change on river flow, groundwater recovery, and flora and fauna. The theoretical political approach and scientific progress have generated ample opportunities to employ previously allusive methods against impacts caused by varying climatic parameters. In this study, the current state of India’s water environment policy is compared with that of South Korea. The “3Is”—ideas, institutions, and interests—which are considered pillars in the international field of political science, are used as variables. The concept of “ideas” highlights the degree of awareness regarding climate change while formulating water environment policy. Here, the awareness of India’s management regarding emerging water issues related to climate change are discussed and compared with that of South Korea. The concept of “institutions” illustrates the key differences in water environment policy under the umbrella of climate change between both countries within the associated national administrations. India’s administrations, such as the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change; the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation; the Ministry of Rural Development; and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, are used as a case study in this work. Finally, the concept of “interest” elaborates the prioritization of key issues in the respective water environment policies. Common interests and voids in the policies of both countries are also briefly discussed. A comparison of India’s water environment policies with that of South Korea is made to expose the gaps in India’s policies with respect to climate change, thereby seeking to identify a solution and the optimal direction for the future of the water environment policy of India.