The world in general and the eastern and southern African regions in particular, are experiencing significant shifts in hydro-climatic patterns due to climate change, posing profound challenges to water resources, ecosystems, and socio-economic development. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, are disrupting hydrological cycles, leading to water scarcity, reduced agricultural productivity, and heightened vulnerability among communities. These changes threaten the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and exacerbate existing inequalities, particularly in rural and marginalized areas. Climate change is projected to have a substantial macroeconomic impact on Eastern and Southern African countries, potentially resulting in a 5-15% loss of GDP by 2050. To address these challenges, there is an urgent need for robust planning tools, strategies and investments that support climate-resilient development pathways.
Given the impacts of climate change on hydro-climatic regimes in eastern and southern Africa, there is a need for research to focus on the impacts on both surface and ground water availability. Traditional approaches to water management are no longer sufficient as climate change is altering hydrological cycles, impacting water availability and quality, and threatening the health and livelihoods of communities worldwide. The use of a combination of climate models and hydrological data will have to be done in order to have proper knowledge regarding variability in rainfall, river flows, and the shrinking of critical water sources such as lakes and aquifers.
To navigate these challenges, there is a need for exploring innovative planning tools and frameworks that can enhance climate resilience and support sustainable development. These include integrated water resources management (IWRM), which promotes coordinated, and ecosystems and inclusive decision-making across sectors, integrated catchment management (ICM), which considers the entire catchment as a single system, recognizing the interdependence of land, water, and nature-based solutions (NBS), such as wetland restoration and reforestation, which enhance ecosystem services and buffer against climate impacts. Emphasis and investments have to be put on climate information services (CIS) and early warning systems (EWS) in improving preparedness and reducing risks associated with hydro-climatic extremes.
Discussions around this issue will have to focus on how key barriers to implementing climate-resilient pathways, including limited financial resources and investments, inadequate technical expertise, and fragmented governance structures can be tackled. Some of the solutions lie in increased investment in climate adaptation (e.g. sustainable water management practices, climate-smart agriculture techniques, and resilient infrastructure design), capacity-building programs, and multi-stakeholder partnerships that leverage local knowledge and global expertise.
This sub-theme invites papers that focus on:
Understanding and addressing the challenges posed by changing hydro-climatic conditions.
The world in general and the eastern and southern African regions in particular, are experiencing significant shifts in hydro-climatic patterns due to climate change, posing profound challenges to water resources, ecosystems, and socio-economic development. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, are disrupting hydrological cycles, leading to water scarcity, reduced agricultural productivity, and heightened vulnerability among communities. These changes threaten the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and exacerbate existing inequalities, particularly in rural and marginalized areas. Climate change is projected to have a substantial macroeconomic impact on Eastern and Southern African countries, potentially resulting in a 5-15% loss of GDP by 2050. To address these challenges, there is an urgent need for robust planning tools, strategies and investments that support climate-resilient development pathways.
Given the impacts of climate change on hydro-climatic regimes in eastern and southern Africa, there is a need for research to focus on the impacts on both surface and ground water availability. Traditional approaches to water management are no longer sufficient as climate change is altering hydrological cycles, impacting water availability and quality, and threatening the health and livelihoods of communities worldwide. The use of a combination of climate models and hydrological data will have to be done in order to have proper knowledge regarding variability in rainfall, river flows, and the shrinking of critical water sources such as lakes and aquifers.
To n ...
Virtual 1 26th WaterNet/WARFSA/GWPSA Symposium waternet@waternetonline.org
Technical Issues?
If you're experiencing playback problems, try adjusting the quality or refreshing the page.
Questions for Speakers?
Use the Q&A tab to submit questions that may be addressed in follow-up sessions.
