building resilience
to climate change
Water is arguably one of the most constrained and
valuable resources we have. Throughout the globe
we are progressively seeing the demand for water
increase with population growth, urbanization,
industrial development and the consequent need for
food production. At the same time increased
drought and flooding, changes in rainfall patterns,
sea level rises, and glacial retreat compound water
scarcity. In recognition of the impacts that climate
change have on our already severely stressed water
resources, the Climate Action Partnership (CAP) is
involved in a number of initiatives to improve the
availability and accessibility of water for
communities in South Africa.
Impacts of climate change on water scarcity
Climate change has the potential to impose severe
pressures on water availability and accessibility in
South Africa. Over the last 30 years we have seen an
increased variability and severity of extreme
weather events, where drought periods are
extending, heavy precipitation events are increasing
in frequency and the ecological integrity of our
freshwater sources of wetlands, rivers, and estuaries
are being threatened. Although climate models are
not altogether clear as to how global warming will
affect rainfall, it is clear that rainfall will decrease in
some areas, but not necessarily in others. Whereas
the western parts of South Africa may get drier, the
eastern parts may experience increased rainfall.
Generally, climate models predict that rainfall in
Southern Africa could decrease between 10-30% by
2050 with a 2°C global rise in temperature. These
changes will have an impact on food security,
heighten the potential for conflict and limit access
to sustainable safe drinking water and adequate
sanitation for many vulnerable people .
Freshwater ecosystem-based adaptation
Ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change
recognizes that intact and functioning ecosystems
increase the food, water, health and livelihood
securities of people. Freshwater ecosystems
provide many important goods and services
including provisionary (good quality and quantity
of reliable water, conserved fisheries, building
materials, fibers and fuel), regulating (erosion
control, conserved pollinators, reduced pollutants,
and aided species movement), as well as cultural
services which enhance human well-being (from
Conservation International, 2009). This approach
ensures that sufficient upstream water resources
are a precondition for solving other water issues
downstream, such as those of clean water supply
and sanitation in municipal and rural areas. CAP
applies this principal to the work which we are
involved with to deal with water security and
climate change.
Riverine restoration and biodiversity corridors
In addition to stewardship agreements, in the
Northern Cape, CAP partner EWT, is restoring
areas along a river system by implementing
measures of soil conservation and planting
indigenous vegetation. In KwaZulu Natal
biodiversity corridors also support healthy water
systems upstream so that downstream
catchments are maintained, while the variation in
the altitudinal gradient in the sites may allows
species to migrate to more favourable
environments with predicted increases in
temperature.
www.cap.org.za
Sustainable land management
CAP projects throughout South Africa aim to
rehabilitate freshwater systems, and reforest areas
through planting indigenous vegetation, which
improve the soil’s water holding capacity. CAP’s
partners connect and conserve areas through
stewardship partnerships with private and
communal landowners, where management
guidelines are written outlining ways of improving
water usage with the potential threats of climate
change in mind. Partnerships with farmers involve
reducing stocking to prevent overgrazing, installing
water pumps and fixing leaking water points,
removing alien vegetation along catchments, fire
management,
grassland
management
and
education around wetland management. These
activities will increase the stream flow and quality of
the water over time in the Northern Cape and
KwaZulu Natal. The improved management of
wetlands and restoration of peatlands will also lead
to the which storage of carbon.
For more information please contact:
Sarshen Marais
Climate Action Partnership coordinator
s.marais@conservation.org
tel: +27 21 799 8834
fax: +27 21 762 6838
Centre for Biodiversity Conservation
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Private Bag X7
Claremont
7735
Engagement with government, industry and
schools
CAP also deals within the agricultural, business,
educational and developmental spheres for
climate change and water management. Through
Green Choice and WWF’s Water Neutral Scheme,
CAP deals with the business sector by approaching
producers and retailers of food to promote
sustainable farming practices and offsetting water
usage. Through the Eco-Schools program, CAP is
educating and building the capacity of future
leaders of our country. CAP engages with
governments through its partners by advocating
and advising them on incorporating climate
change models into planning which will ensure
sustainable livelihoods and resource use for their
citizens. Lastly, CAP assists communities in
adapting to increasing water scarcity due to
climate change through participatory approaches,
where farmers may choose alternative farming
practices to secure their yields, such as using
rainwater collection tanks for livestock and
irrigation, or growing drought resistant crops.
In conclusion, CAP recognizes the need to draw on
the services that our ecosystems provide to buffer
habitats and communities against a changing
climate and increase water scarcity. Water
resources are not insufficient to carry the human
population, but rather it is the way water is
managed by human communities that threatens
our ability to maintain our current practices. We
need to make a concerted effort to shift our
planning and development to support a
sustainable pathway and ensure the protection of
our ecosystems and their services on which we
depend.
www.cap.org.za