Preface
The goal of Climate Change and Water Resources in Africa is to provide an overview
of the many water resource management challenges, constraints, and opportunities
for sustainable development in Africa. Water is very high on the agenda of the continent, particularly on issues of water supply and sanitation, and the water–energy–food
nexus. Water is both an ecosystem ‘good,’ providing drinking water, irrigation and
hydropower, and an ecosystem ‘service,’ enabling nutrient recycling and supporting
habitats for fish and other aquatic organisms, as well as providing ‘cultural services’
such as scenic, recreational, and spiritual opportunities. Indeed, water is directly or
indirectly important to almost every economic sector in Africa, including agriculture, manufacturing, trade, mining, tourism, and transport. The prospect of improving
well-being in Africa is therefore critically dependent on its capacity to respond to
water-related environmental changes—including climate change.
The IPCC recognizes Africa as one of the most vulnerable continents when it
comes to the impacts of climate change—partly because of the projected nature
of the climate change itself on the physical continent, and partly because of the
significant levels of poverty and weak institutional capacity across the continent.
Regarding the latter, the challenges of climate change overlay Africa’s already fragile
human and environmental conditions, with significant levels of poverty and service
delivery that must be improved. Not only does climate change compound existing
development pressures on limited water resources, but as climate change pressures
intensify, they do so in the face of growing populations and economies, both of which
place greater stress on existing water resources. Therefore, the challenge of managing
water resources in Africa over the coming decades is both a climate change and a
developmental challenge.
A consistent theme throughout the book is that the already-vulnerable poor population of Africa is most at risk from the impacts of climate change. The response must
therefore focus in particular on increasing resilience at the household and community
levels. Increased resilience will enable people, particularly those living in poverty,
to respond effectively in order to recover faster from water-related disasters. The key
elements of resilience are poverty eradication and access to appropriate information
in a timely manner to support adaptation strategies. This approach will make climate
change adaptation primarily a development challenge.
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The goal of Climate Change and Water Resources in Africa is to provide an overview
of the many water resource management challenges, constraints, and opportunities
for sustainable development in Africa. Water is very high on the agenda of the continent, particularly on issues of water supply and sanitation, and the water–energy–food
nexus. Water is both an ecosystem ‘good,’ providing drinking water, irrigation and
hydropower, and an ecosystem ‘service,’ enabling nutrient recycling and supporting
habitats for fish and other aquatic organisms, as well as providing ‘cultural services’
such as scenic, recreational, and spiritual opportunities. Indeed, water is directly or
indirectly important to almost every economic sector in Africa, including agriculture, manufacturing, trade, mining, tourism, and transport. The prospect of improving
well-being in Africa is therefore critically dependent on its capacity to respond to
water-related environmental changes—including climate change.
The IPCC recognizes Africa as one of the most vulnerable continents when it
comes to the impacts of climate change—partly because of the projected nature
of the climate change itself on the physical continent, and partly because of the
significant levels of poverty and weak institutional capacity across the continent.
Regarding the latter, the challenges of climate change overlay Africa’s already fragile
human and environmental conditions, with significant levels of poverty and service
delivery that must be improved. Not only does climate change compound existing
development pressures on limited water resources, but as climate change pressures
intensify, they do so in the face of growing populations and economies, both of which
place greater stress on existing water resources. Therefore, the challenge of managing
water resources in Africa over the coming decades is both a climate change and a
developmental challenge.
A consistent theme throughout the book is that the already-vulnerable poor population of Africa is most at risk from the impacts of climate change. The response must
therefore focus in particular on increasing resilience at the household and community
levels. Increased resilience will enable people, particularly those living in poverty,
to respond effectively in order to recover faster from water-related disasters. The key
elements of resilience are poverty eradication and access to appropriate information
in a timely manner to support adaptation strategies. This approach will make climate
change adaptation primarily a development challenge.
xiii