Analysis of scenarios to security consequences of the water crisis in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province

Today, the water crisis has become one of the most fundamental problems for third world countries. The process of reducing the amount of fresh water resources in these countries has made them and the whole world seriously concerned about the fact that the world may move towards water-based wars. Despite the consequences and effects of the water crisis in the environment and even the social space (such as the local and regional conflicts in some provinces of Iran), still, the necessary attention, sensitivity and concern among the general public and even experts and policymakers has not emerged as it should. The expansion of the water crisis in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari has the potential to become an almost widespread ethnic and local conflict with its neighboring regions. The water crisis can increase the gaps at the ethnic-local and regional level and threaten the stability and security of the ruling political system. In the meantime, the occurrence of social unrest caused by unemployment, local-regional conflicts over water distribution and obtaining a greater share of water, lack of drinking water and related concerns should not be overlooked. Each of the above cases has the possibility of leading to an independent crisis or to a base for the emergence of security crises. This study aims to analyze scenarios of security consequences of water crisis in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province it is based on the systematic investigation of factors influencing the water crisis in particular, it has identified the effective security challenges, alternative and possible scenarios and futures and further, according to the existing situation, based on the influencing factors and the current gap with the optimal to critical state, provide management strategies and necessary measures to achieve the most desirable and compatible scenarios.

The current research is "applied-theoretical" in terms of purpose and based on the nature and method; It is "descriptive-analytical". In this research, based on the nature of the work, quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze information and extract indicators. To structural analysis and identify the effective security drivers of the water crisis from the method of cross impact analysis (MicMac software) and for scenario writing the cross-impact balance analysis method (ScenarioWizard software) was used. The statistical population of the current research was academic experts, experts and institutional-organizational managers who have enough knowledge and experience in the topic of water crisis management and the study area. These experts were selected and questioned based on the method of "purposive sampling (expert samples) and chain-referral. In this regard, based on the possibility of willingness to respond to experts and the complexity of the methods, steps and conditions of implementing the Delphi technique, in total of (32) academic experts, managers and institutional-organizational experts were chosen as sample people.

Structural analysis method was used to identify the effective drivers of water crisis security in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. In this regard, the findings of the method of structural analysis of the factors and challenges affecting the water crisis and its consequences in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province showed (13) the drivers of "water governance, inter-basin water transfer projects, local and regional tensions and conflicts, political discrimination, political authority of the government, migration, poverty and deprivation, social capital, unemployment, psychological security, social trust, social cohesion, participation of local institutions, public participation" based on the priority of effectiveness. The most important drivers of security are the water crisis. After identifying the security drivers of the water crisis, to analyze and select the scenarios of the security drivers of the water crisis, the mutual effects cross-impact balance analysis method was used using Scenario Wizard software which is one of the best methods that allows the detection of believable scenarios. According to the size of the matrix and its dimensions (39 x 39), with the help of the scenario wizard software and based on the questionnaire data, the number of (1594323) combined scenarios that include all possible situations were analyzed, the output of this analysis was the extraction of "446 possible scenarios" and "13 believable scenarios", including: "9 scenarios with high compatibility" and "4 strong scenarios". among the thirteen believable scenarios, the largest number of believable scenarios (8 scenarios) are in the yellow (static) spectrum. Also, the results showed that there are four strong scenarios with internal consistency (one scenario with favorable situations and 3 scenarios with critical situations) in front of the security challenges of the water crisis in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. From the total of four strong scenarios in the security challenges of water crisis management, the first scenario represents favorable situations, and the tenth, twelfth and thirteenth scenarios represent critical situations in the upcoming conditions of each of the security drivers of the water crisis. Therefore, with the continuation of the current trend and the lack of effective strategies, not only will there not be a better situation in the management of the water crisis, but the expansion of the existing gap will lead to the emergence of the worst possible scenario "scenario 13" with critical situations in all factors.

According to the findings of the research, the problems and tensions of water scarcity, the red alarm of the crisis and water shortage has sounded in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, and this crisis will intensify with the continuation of the current trend. "Weak water governance, incorrect allocation of water resources, non-compliance with the rights of the origin regions of inter-basin water transfer projects and the dominance of more influential and powerful regions" to intensify local and regional tensions and conflicts over water resources and the increase of social gap and political, social and managerial conflicts and general discontent has resulted; thus, according to the results of the research and the conditions governing the current situation of the security challenges of water crisis management in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, the most favorable scenario for prospective management of water crisis security challenges, selecting the drivers of the first scenario based on 13 ideal situations and the best leading scenario to improve the situation governing the security challenges of the water crisis will be in the framework of optimal water governance so that by making appropriate decisions and applying strategies in front of each of the key drivers, to manage the challenges arising from the water crisis, especially the security challenges. Investigation of possible impacts and scenarios of water crisis shows that by considering the driving condition of main factors and their interaction, the probability of encountering with crisis and water stress is more likely than optimistic probability. As the crisis situations and existing trends show, facing this crisis is inevitable; thus, in the long term or in the short term in the coming years, many rural areas and most urban areas will be heavily involved with this issue as the water stress situation worsens. In this regard, the water crisis is a serious issue and requires a quick solution, which seems to be the optimal solution to pay attention and focus on the factors and challenges that cause the critical situation and water shortage in the province.