Hydro-Climatic Extremes in the Anthropocene

This book explores how human civilization has contributed to changes in the Anthropocene, an era that marks a fundamental change in the way mankind has interacted with the Earth system. It examines the 21st century in the context of human development of water infrastructures, climate change impacts on freshwater resources, groundwater depletion, rising population, land use change, extreme events (droughts, floods, and wildfires). The implications of climate change impacts on environmental assets and the global water cycle are also highlighted. The book takes a pragmatically trans-disciplinary and holistic approach to the discussion of these issues, and the Earth system in the Anthropocene, drawing from a plethora of case studies. The capabilities of machine learning tools in satellite hydrology applications have been demonstrated as well as the feasibility of remote sensing data and innovative geospatial tools in environmental assessment.  The book further showcases the multiple strengths and potential of new multi-disciplinary satellite radar programmes and geodetic missions, to measure and characterize extreme events, and their links to global climate, as well as in remote sensing of the environment. The aim is to provide innovative tools and a scientific framework that underpin our fundamental understanding of environmental systems, and the complexities of socio-hydrological systems in the Anthropocene. Policy issues have also been raised as an important aspect that can strengthen the management and administration of water resources, particularly in emerging economies where observational data is often lacking, limited, or difficult to access. It also highlights the lessons learned from freshwater hotspots (e.g., Lake Chad and Lake Urmia) where prolonged droughts and human activities have led to a permanent loss of surface water. It identifies the role of institutions and stakeholders in driving policies that underpins water management and climate changeadaptation. The book articulates the novel applications of remote sensing tools as part of a monitoring framework that can alert stakeholders and the public sector to the dangers of mismanagement of freshwater in these hotspots and help facilitate water governance approaches. The book fills a critical gap in the multi-disciplinary aspect of planetary science, particularly in understanding the impacts of climate change and human actions on freshwater resources, as well as the stability of the Earth system.

Dr. Christopher Ndehedehe is a senior lecturer at the School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, where he concurrently serves as an Australian Research Council (ARC) DECRA (Discovery Early Career Researcher Award) fellow (2023–2026). He joined Griffith University in June 2018 under its Areas of Strategic Investment as a Research Fellow in Griffith’s Australia’s Rivers Institute. This was after the completion of an outstanding Ph.D. thesis, which received the vice-chancellor’s commendation in early 2018 at Curtin University, Western Australia. Christopher is a leading expert in satellite hydrology and environmental geo-informatics with a strong international reputation and experience in remote sensing of water resources. This is exemplified in his pioneering cutting-edge cross-disciplinary research in environmental remote sensing and satellite hydrology that connects climate, freshwater resources, and the environment.