IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND MONITORING ANALYSIS ON WATER RESOURCES IN SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COUNTRIES (SADC): review (original) (raw)
The effects of global warming are starting to manifest themselves with increasing global surface temperature and more voluminous rainfall being dumped in some parts of the world that have not experienced them before. Climate change is wreaking havoc, but its impact is greater in some parts than in others: arid and semi-arid regions become drier and hotter while cold regions often become colder. Extreme weather is being felt everywhere, but the impact of climate change is greater in countries where poverty and diseases remain prevalent. This is the case in the African continent, particularly in the Southern African Development Community, where most of its populations are engaged in agriculture that is sustained by water-fed rainfall. Although this region has some of the longest and biggest river basins in the world, water scarcity, especially safe water, is not unheard of. Climate change, therefore, poses a greater danger to this region than any other. Many simulation models for climate change indicate that the region will be subjected to increased temperature by the end of the century that will in turn impact hydrological cycles that will potentially increase the risk of groundwater drought and decrease runoffs of its river basins, upon which millions of people are dependent for their livelihood and sustenance. In addition, the quality of the water, surface or ground, are expected to alter as a consequence of decreased rainfall or scarcity of water. This will affect many in the region where only one state has attained a 100 per cent access to safe water and the rest are still struggling to find means to deliver safe water to their inhabitants. This scenario will undoubtedly make things almost beyond bearable for the SADC countries. It is therefore, imperative that the policymakers of the region act now to impose measures to mitigate the impact of climate change as well as prepare the region to be adapted and resilient to its effects. Keywords: : climate change, water scarcity, water resources, rainfall
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Appendix 1 Water and Climate Change instruments reviewed ii LIST OF BOXES Box 1.1-Economic Cost of Climate Change in South Asia Box 1.2-Groundwater and Drought and Climate Resilience Box 2.1-The IGB aquifer has immense natural storage Box 2.2-Climate Variability and Climate Change Box 3.1-Seasonal Estimates of Irrigation Water Demand in South Asia Box 3.2-South Asia is the world's top exporter of groundwater Box 4.1-Seasonal Estimates of Irrigation Water Demand in South Asia Box 4.2-Bangladesh flooding Box 5.1-The main elements of South Asia's water resources management strategy Box 5.2-Some of the key features of IWRM Box 5.3-Possible IWRM Activities to Respond to Climate Change Box 6.1-Informing Change in the Indus Basin Box 6.2-ICIMOD and Climate Change Box 7.1-Regional cooperation is a critical element in adaptation Box 8.1-The Decision Tree Approach and application to Upper Arun Hydropower project Box 9.1-The Rufiji Basin Plan, Tanzania Box 9.2-Adaptation Options for Groundwater Box 9.3-Improving Flood preparedness Box 12.1-Improving resilience to droughts iii ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank
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