Water Research Commission of South Africa, 4 Daventry Street, Lynnwood Manor, Pretoria 0081, South Africa.
School of Environmental Sciences, University of Venda, Private Bag X 5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Oct 19;15(10):2306. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15102306.
Climate change is a complex and cross-cutting problem that needs an integrated and transformative systems approach to respond to the challenge. Current sectoral approaches to climate change adaptation initiatives often create imbalances and retard sustainable development. Regional and international literature on climate change adaptation opportunities and challenges applicable to southern Africa from a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective was reviewed. Specifically, this review highlights climate change impacts on water, energy, and food resources in southern Africa, while exploring mitigation and adaptation opportunities. The review further recommends strategies to develop cross-sectoral sustainable measures aimed at building resilient communities. Regional WEF nexus related institutions and legal frameworks were also reviewed to relate the WEF nexus to policy. Southern Africa is witnessing an increased frequency and intensity in climate change-associated extreme weather events, causing water, food, and energy insecurity. A projected reduction of 20% in annual rainfall by 2080 in southern Africa will only increase the regional socio-economic challenges. This is exacerbating regional resource scarcities and vulnerabilities. It will also have direct and indirect impacts on nutrition, human well-being, and health. Reduced agricultural production, lack of access to clean water, sanitation, and clean, sustainable energy are the major areas of concern. The region is already experiencing an upsurge of vector borne diseases (malaria and dengue fever), and water and food-borne diseases (cholera and diarrhoea). What is clear is that climate change impacts are cross-sectoral and multidimensional, and therefore require cross-sectoral mitigation and adaptation approaches. In this regard, a well-coordinated and integrated WEF nexus approach offers opportunities to build resilient systems, harmonise interventions, and mitigate trade-offs and hence improve sustainability. This would be achieved through greater resource mobilisation and coordination, policy convergence across sectors, and targeting nexus points in the landscape. The WEF nexus approach has potential to increase the resilience of marginalised communities in southern Africa by contributing towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 13).
气候变化是一个复杂和多方面的问题，需要综合和变革性的系统方法来应对这一挑战。目前，应对气候变化适应倡议的部门方法往往会造成不平衡，并阻碍可持续发展。本文从水-能源-粮食（WEF）关系的角度，综述了适用于南部非洲的区域和国际气候变化适应机遇和挑战的相关文献。具体而言，本综述重点介绍了南部非洲气候变化对水、能源和粮食资源的影响，同时探讨了缓解和适应的机会。此外，还建议了制定跨部门可持续措施的战略，以建设有复原力的社区。本文还审查了与 WEF 关系相关的区域机构和法律框架，以将 WEF 关系与政策联系起来。南部非洲正经历着与气候变化相关的极端天气事件的频率和强度的增加，导致水、粮食和能源不安全。到 2080 年，南部非洲的年降雨量预计将减少 20%，这只会增加该地区的社会经济挑战。这加剧了区域资源短缺和脆弱性。它还将对营养、人类福祉和健康产生直接和间接影响。减少农业生产、缺乏清洁水、卫生和清洁、可持续能源是主要关注领域。该地区已经出现了蚊媒疾病（疟疾和登革热）以及水和食物传播疾病（霍乱和腹泻）的爆发。很明显，气候变化的影响是跨部门和多方面的，因此需要采取跨部门的缓解和适应措施。在这方面，一个协调良好和综合的 WEF 关系方法提供了建立有弹性系统、协调干预措施以及减轻权衡和提高可持续性的机会。这将通过增加资源调动和协调、跨部门政策趋同以及瞄准景观中的关系点来实现。WEF 关系方法有可能通过促进实现可持续发展目标（目标 1、2、3、6、7 和 13），提高南部非洲边缘社区的复原力。
