Climate change is reshaping urban landscapes, demanding transformative approaches to ensure resilience in essential sectors such as water management. Cities need to adapt to remain livable, functional and prosperous in the future. Adaptation is the adjustment process to the actual or expected climate and climate hazards to reduce the negative impacts. Using Zimbabwe as a case study, this chapter examines the adaption of cities to climate change in the context of the urban water sector. The chapter reveals that the impact of climate change compounds complex and multidimensional challenges for secure water service delivery in urban Zimbabwe; from supply shortages to declining groundwater levels. However, due to climate variability, urban residents apply various strategies in adapting to water shortages. These range from reducing water use, using wells and boreholes, using storage tanks, adopting climate-smart agriculture, water reuse and rainwater water harvesting. While policy and institutional reform have advanced at the national level and on paper; nothing much has practically been done from the top to address the visible impacts of climate change on the water sector in urban Zimbabwe. The chapter concludes that adaptation to climate change should be at the center of urban water governance in Zimbabwe. Improved urban water sector resilience and adaptation to climate change can be enhanced through crafting robust policy and ensuring its implementation, good leadership, building strong institutions, community engagement and prioritizing stakeholder collaboration. Emphasizing the need for an integrated approach, the chapter also advocates for the adoption of innovative strategies such as IWRM, green infrastructure, and community-focused approaches like hydrocitizenship to enhance resilience. The chapter calls for a transformative shift in policy and practice, urging policymakers, urban planners, and community leaders to prioritize resilience and actively engage communities in water governance processes.

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Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Water Governance in the Zimbabwean Context

  • Abraham R. Matamanda,
  • Tazviona R. Gambe,
  • Johannes I. Bhanye,
  • Tafadzwa C. Maramura,
  • Oratilwe Annastacia Khoza

摘要

Climate change is reshaping urban landscapes, demanding transformative approaches to ensure resilience in essential sectors such as water management. Cities need to adapt to remain livable, functional and prosperous in the future. Adaptation is the adjustment process to the actual or expected climate and climate hazards to reduce the negative impacts. Using Zimbabwe as a case study, this chapter examines the adaption of cities to climate change in the context of the urban water sector. The chapter reveals that the impact of climate change compounds complex and multidimensional challenges for secure water service delivery in urban Zimbabwe; from supply shortages to declining groundwater levels. However, due to climate variability, urban residents apply various strategies in adapting to water shortages. These range from reducing water use, using wells and boreholes, using storage tanks, adopting climate-smart agriculture, water reuse and rainwater water harvesting. While policy and institutional reform have advanced at the national level and on paper; nothing much has practically been done from the top to address the visible impacts of climate change on the water sector in urban Zimbabwe. The chapter concludes that adaptation to climate change should be at the center of urban water governance in Zimbabwe. Improved urban water sector resilience and adaptation to climate change can be enhanced through crafting robust policy and ensuring its implementation, good leadership, building strong institutions, community engagement and prioritizing stakeholder collaboration. Emphasizing the need for an integrated approach, the chapter also advocates for the adoption of innovative strategies such as IWRM, green infrastructure, and community-focused approaches like hydrocitizenship to enhance resilience. The chapter calls for a transformative shift in policy and practice, urging policymakers, urban planners, and community leaders to prioritize resilience and actively engage communities in water governance processes.