Transcript Progress Report on Climate Change Interventions

Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Water
and Sanitation
PRESENTATION TITLE
Presented by:
Name Surname
Progress
report
Directorate
Date
11 November 2015
on climate change interventions
Interventions
• Implementation of the strategy has commenced
• Water conservation and demand management
• The implementation guidelines for the water
sector, and policy position on water are being
developed
• Awareness raising is ongoing
• Risk and vulnerability assessment in the Vaal,
and Mzimvubu-Tsitsikamma
• From the World Water Week to COP21
• Concluding remarks
2
Implementation of the National Climate Change
Response Strategy for the Water Sector
• The Minister approved the Strategy, now widely
communicated to all regional officials in satellite offices (All
Provinces) and key sectors.
• The strategy,
– provides a comprehensive response to climate change
impacts
– maps out requisite interventions
– guides on how to mainstream climate change strategies
into water management and use under a changing climate
– For instance, the Dept. of Environment is currently using
the Strategy as a resource to advance the next phase of the
Water Conservation and Demand Management Flagship
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Programme
The Strategy used in the Water Conservation &
Demand Management Flagship Programme
• DWS will collaborate with DEA on their project
that emanates from the flagship programme.
The intent is to:
– Support and promote water use efficiency and demand
management at utility and local government scale
– Improve efficiency in water reticulation systems (& water
infrastructure)
– Provide capacity building within the local government sphere to
support the implementation of a WC/WDM programme
– Develop an awareness campaign
– Develop an appropriate implementation plan based on needs of
the 6 climate zones and local authorities
• All these interventions are from the strategy
4
Development of implementation guidelines
• DWS is currently developing guidelines for use by the
regions or satellite offices of the Department
– To roll out (i.e. implement) the strategy
– To develop own response plans and interventions
• There has already been a national workshop in this
regard with regions (workshop was held on 29 Sept
2015)
• DWS is currently developing a policy position on
climate change (Dialogue was held on 22-23 Oct 2015)
• Other Departments and research institutions were
invited to share experiences and to comment on the
Department’s strategy and the draft policy document
5
Awareness through workshops &
presentations
• This year we organised a workshop on Climate Change
Strategy implementation
– Where experts were invite to share their knowledge and
skills on how to adapt to climate change, manage and use
water sustainably in light of a changing climate
– The DWS presented the strategy
• As part of awareness raising on climate related issues
– Various presentations were made on water development,
planning, management of water under a changing climate
(e.g. on technologies for adaptation to researchers, role of
communities to JHB North ward committee leaders, and
on food & water security under a changing climate to
Emerging Farmers – Gauteng Dept. of Agriculture)
6
Risk and Vulnerability assessment in selected
areas (hydro-climatic zones)
• We undertook risk & vulnerability assessment
in the Vaal and Uzimvubu-Tsitsikamma hydroclimatic zones
– Study rainfall patterns, frequency and intensity as
well as temperature changes
– Investigate water availability, management and use
and identify challenges and opportunities.
NOTE:
– Non-climatic challenges may render systems
vulnerable to climate change impacts
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Risk and Vulnerability assessment in the Vaal
• Some of the challenges water pollution related
• Raw sewerage often overflows into the stream close by due
to spilling and poorly maintained infrastructure in towns
such as Ermelo, Bethal and Villiers. For example,
Stream
Sewerage flowing into the stream in Ermelo
Sewerage
spills
8
Risk and Vulnerability assessment in the
Mzimvubu-Tsitsikamma
• This zone suffered impacts of drought in the past decades
markedly driven by El Nino events, hence it’s characterised by
highly erodible soils, with created deep gullies
Bush encroachment and gully erosion in Ngqushwa District, Eastern Cape
9
From the WWW in Sweden to COP21 in France
• The 2015 Stockholm World Water Week (WWW)
 themed Water for Development
 3,300 delegates from 125 countries, participated
• Our Minister, of Water and Sanitation led the South African water
sector delegation and participated in various engagements
including Water, the COP21 event : Partners incl. SIWI, WWC, WEF,
AMCOW, WB, Govt of Peru, France, Sweden, Netherlands, RSA, etc.
• Catalyze global leaders’ attention to the crucial role of water in CC
• The world water week then discussed how to address water in the
global climate discourse by more specifically debating how to raise
the agenda of adaptation and water at COP21
• Bilateral discussions between partners and other regarding a
concerted effort to get water onto the agenda as a standalone
agenda item is ongoing – leading to COP21
10
Concluding remarks
• The mainstreaming of climate change strategies into
water management (implementation) continues
• Studies aimed at understanding water/climate related
challenges (vulnerability assessments) are crucial to
inform appropriate action (interventions)
• Awareness raising among communities and other sectors
is part of the rolling out of the strategy
• The climate change policy position is also about to be
completed
• The Minister of DWS is the champion for “enhancing the
profile of water on the COP agenda”
11
Thank You
12