1 Introduction
3
worldwide emissions), she is projected to be the most impacted among all continents,
with drastic consequences for her water resources.
Although climate change projections for Africa, like all climate projections, have
large margins of uncertainty, it is clear that climate change will bring more frequent
and more intense water-related disasters to many parts of Africa, a continent already
prone to floods and droughts, with dramatic consequences for critical ecosystem
goods and services, and, therefore, its population and development (Chaps. 3, 4, 5
and 17). While countries like Mozambique, South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe
are already experiencing recurring floods and droughts, projected increases in the
frequencies and magnitudes of such events through 2050, coupled with rising populations in these regions, suggest a particular vulnerability of weather sensitive sectors,
especially water resources and agricultural production (Chap. 5). Because of the
difficulty of predicting climate change impacts on water systems with accuracy, flexibility must be built into planning in order to manage changing climate conditions
over the long term.
Within the context of water resource management, it must also be recognized that
the rapidly increasing populations in Africa, and their transitional economic developmental needs, will impose growing demands and pressures on already stressed
freshwater resources. Rivers and groundwater resources, as well as lakes and reservoirs, are readily usable sources of large volumes of freshwater which, if properly
managed, will continue to serve as an important basis for the health, wellbeing and
economic growth of these populations (Chap. 2). A related factor is the impact of
aging infrastructure for water storage and delivery of these lentic water systems, an
issue of obvious importance to both developed and developing countries (Chaps. 6,
8, 12 and 15).
3 Toward Improved Management of Water Resources
in the Context of Climate Change in Africa
While it is important to acknowledge the many weaknesses across the continent that
may complicate effective response to climate change, including limited institutional
capacity, poverty, the paucity of data and limited modeling of climate change impacts
on a local scale, it is equally important to take immediate action to improve the
resilience of communities and societies to climate change impacts. An overview and
synthesis of key approaches in this regard is presented in the following sections.
3.1 Create Enabling Policy and Institutional Conditions
Climate change-related freshwater management strategies must be based on water
management plans that are aligned with national development and poverty reduction strategies. Moreover, enabling conditions to manage the challenges of climate
variability must be created. Such measures include the creation and implementation
3
worldwide emissions), she is projected to be the most impacted among all continents,
with drastic consequences for her water resources.
Although climate change projections for Africa, like all climate projections, have
large margins of uncertainty, it is clear that climate change will bring more frequent
and more intense water-related disasters to many parts of Africa, a continent already
prone to floods and droughts, with dramatic consequences for critical ecosystem
goods and services, and, therefore, its population and development (Chaps. 3, 4, 5
and 17). While countries like Mozambique, South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe
are already experiencing recurring floods and droughts, projected increases in the
frequencies and magnitudes of such events through 2050, coupled with rising populations in these regions, suggest a particular vulnerability of weather sensitive sectors,
especially water resources and agricultural production (Chap. 5). Because of the
difficulty of predicting climate change impacts on water systems with accuracy, flexibility must be built into planning in order to manage changing climate conditions
over the long term.
Within the context of water resource management, it must also be recognized that
the rapidly increasing populations in Africa, and their transitional economic developmental needs, will impose growing demands and pressures on already stressed
freshwater resources. Rivers and groundwater resources, as well as lakes and reservoirs, are readily usable sources of large volumes of freshwater which, if properly
managed, will continue to serve as an important basis for the health, wellbeing and
economic growth of these populations (Chap. 2). A related factor is the impact of
aging infrastructure for water storage and delivery of these lentic water systems, an
issue of obvious importance to both developed and developing countries (Chaps. 6,
8, 12 and 15).
3 Toward Improved Management of Water Resources
in the Context of Climate Change in Africa
While it is important to acknowledge the many weaknesses across the continent that
may complicate effective response to climate change, including limited institutional
capacity, poverty, the paucity of data and limited modeling of climate change impacts
on a local scale, it is equally important to take immediate action to improve the
resilience of communities and societies to climate change impacts. An overview and
synthesis of key approaches in this regard is presented in the following sections.
3.1 Create Enabling Policy and Institutional Conditions
Climate change-related freshwater management strategies must be based on water
management plans that are aligned with national development and poverty reduction strategies. Moreover, enabling conditions to manage the challenges of climate
variability must be created. Such measures include the creation and implementation