In Iran, climate change combined with low adaptation capacity has an unparalleled impact on eco-systems as well as human livelihoods. The Roodasht region, in the lower part of the Zayandeh Rud basin in Central Iran, is severely affected by water scarcity, desertification and land degradation. This book describes the effects this has on the environment and society, analyzes the degree of vulnerability and suggests possible ways to improve land and water management. 

This book provides comprehensive and interdisciplinary insights into the environmental and social situation in the region, as well as possible solutions to deal with the current challenges. Written by German and Iranian scientists, NGO staff and government officials and bridging the gap between research and practical implementation, the book not only enhances our understanding of climate change and desertification, but also raises public awareness and promotes knowledge transfer between disciplines.

Dr. Shahrooz Mohajeri is the managing director of the inter 3 Institute for Resource Management in Berlin and the IWRM Zayandeh Rud project leader. Born in Isfahan and educated in Iran and Germany, he is an internationally recognized expert on sustainable resource management, with a focus on technological, economic and political feasibility. Dr. Mohajeri has been promoting scientific and business cooperation between Iran and Germany for more than 15 years. He is also a member of the German Water Partnership board and the leader of GWPs Iran section.

Lena Horlemann is a researcher at the inter 3 Institute for resource management and one of the IWRM Zayandeh Rud project coordinators. She holds a masters degree in Southeast Asian Studies and Agronomy and has experience in the field of includes global governance and development cooperation. She has worked on environmental and water management issues for more than 10 years, including in IWRM projects in Mongolia and now Iran. Her research focuses on social and institutional aspects of IWRM implementation.

Dr. Ali A. Besalatpour is a former Assistant Prof. of Soil and Water sciences at the Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Iran. He holds a Ph.D. in the field of Integrated Water Resource Management and Modeling (2011). He has published several articles and papers in various journals and books, and presented papers at national and international conferences. He is currently a researcher at the inter 3 Institute for Resource Management, working on the IWRM Zayandeh Rud project.

Wolf Raber is a scientist at the inter 3 Institute for Resource Management. He has served a consultant for several projects, including the German Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeits (GIZ) Integrated Water Management program in Morocco. Currently, he is working on the IWRM Zayandeh Rud project . Raber holds degrees inInternational Land and Water Management, and Environmental Engineering, from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and the Technical University of Berlin, respectively.

Standing up to Climate Change   Creating Prospects for a Sustainable Future in Rural Iran.- Part I. Water and Land Use Challenges in Iran.- Water Resources and Water Security in the MENA Region.- Water Management in Iran: Appearance and Reality.- Contemporary Water Resource Management and Its Role in Tackling Land Degradation and Desertification in Iran.- Part II. Water and Land Use Challenges in the Zayandeh Rud Basin.- Zayandeh Rud River Basin: A Region of Economic and Social Relevance in the Central Plateau of Iran.- Returning Periods of Drought and Climate Change in the Zayandeh Rud River Basin.- Hydrological Modelling of Spatial and Temporal Changes of Blue and Green Water Resources in the Zayandeh Rud River Basin.- Part III. Water and Land Use Challenges in the Roodasht Region.- Realizing the Dynamic of Water Scarcity, Land Use Change and Environmental Degradation in Roodasht, Iran.- Structural Evolution of theZayandeh Rud River Basin Based on Historical Climate Changes.- Evaluation of Lead and Cadmium Contamination in the Zayandeh Rud River.- Dust Production Crisis Following the Recent Droughts in the Eastern Part of the Zayandeh Rud River Basin.- Part IV. Possible Solutions for the Region.- Participatory Development of Strategies for the Transformation of Agriculture in the Zayandeh Rud River Basin.- Environmental Capacity Building Program for the Residents of the Zayandeh Rud Basin.- Adaptive Land and Water Management: A Regional Action Plan for Roodasht to Cope with Climate Change.- A Short Ecological History of Varzaneh: Adaptive Responses to and Resilience Against the Adversity of Drought.- Determination of Net Water Requirement of Crops and Gardens in Order to Optimize the Management of Water Demand in Agricultural Sector.- Increasing Water and Energy Productivity via Replacing Abiotic Stress Tolerant Forages in East of Zayandeh Rud River Basin.