Confronting Climate Change: Final Reflections

Welcome to my last blog. We have explored WASH in Africa from a variety of perspectives, and the discussions have prompted me to respond and reflect on past posts. The arrival of COP28 is a reminder of the topic of climate change, so in the second half of the post, I turn my attention to the links between climate, water, and sanitation.

 

Reflections

We've learnt how inadequate WASH systems impact health in Africa. While improving community health environments, these efforts also present challenges to sustainable development. The urban growth in Africa highlights issues like unequal water access and disorganised management, prompting policy reforms. We've viewed water and sanitation from a top-down approach, focusing on policy and management. However, it's important to note that local African communities also actively upgrade and manage water resources, as evidenced in studies like Professor Ben Page's (2003).

 

Climate and WASH

Climate change raises a number of issues which could have far-reaching effects on the use of water resources and sanitation in Africa. Take unpredictable rainfall as an example. Since much of Africa's agricultural production depends on the weather, reduced rainfall can result in water supply shortages. This could also affect how crops get enough water to drink and grow properly. This would largely undermine people's food security and economic growth. Reduced rainfall can lead to a decrease in the volume of water in reservoirs and rivers. This makes it difficult for farmers to provide enough water for irrigation and reduces the availability of clean drinking water ( Nhemachena et al., 2020).

 

On the other hand, sudden and heavy precipitation can cause flooding, which can damage water supply and sanitation infrastructure. According to a study conducted in Ethiopia, climate model projections show an increase in temperatures throughout the country in all seasons, but there is no clear direction for changes in rainfall patterns (D Ayalew et al., 2012). Therefore, it is important for African countries to take steps towards better climate monitoring and make the best use of water resources. They can do this by encouraging rainwater harvesting and building water storage areas. In Ethiopia, the government focuses on preventing and controlling short-term disasters (droughts, floods, etc.). However, this disaster-focused view of short-term climate variability should be replaced by a long-term view that emphasises livelihood security and vulnerability reduction (Ayalew et al., 2012).

 

Picture of floods in Ethiopia

 

To address the impacts of climate change on water use and sanitation in Africa, the international community needs to strengthen its cooperation. The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) recommended increased climate finance for developing countries and urgent scaling up of investments in climate adaptation. African countries should also strengthen regional cooperation and actively participate in international climate negotiations to garner more support and resources. Climate variability and change should also be taken into account when designing WASH infrastructure.