Skip to main content.
Enviropaedia Sponsors and Supporters

Water and Climate Change

Author: Dr Smangele Mnquba - Director of Climate Change at the Department of Water Affairs

( Article Type: Sustainable Development )

Integrated Water Resource Management

Water security also has major implications on food security and energy security; any default on water security may result in the insufficiency of the other supplies. It is therefore important to derive benefits from the economic, social and environmental benefits of water security and using water wisely.  Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) is another adaptation strategy that offers an approach to manage the dynamics of supply and demand.

It recognises the holistic nature of the water cycle and the importance of managing trade-offs within it, and also raises the needs and importance of institutions. Investments in national water resources management and proper planning require capacity, institutions and proper infrastructure and these are essential in the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation into policy.

 

Adressing Climate Change Adaption

To address adaptation therefore, ‘financing’ is going to be of great importance, more especially for the poor communities, which are less resilient. Even where the extent and scope of climate changes are similar, countries and communities with the institutions and capabilities to manage water resources will still suffer less impact than countries without.