The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus as a tool to develop climate change adaptation strategies: a case study of the Buffalo River catchment, South Africa
The Buffalo River catchment in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, has limited water resource infrastructure development, and climate change is predicted to increase its water supply deficits by exacerbating water distribution inequalities. This study evaluates and optimises current climate change policy p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IWA Publishing
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Water and Climate Change |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://jwcc.iwaponline.com/content/14/12/4465 |
| _version_ | 1797202731181539328 |
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| author | Nosipho Dlamini A. Senzanje T. Mabhaudhi |
| author_facet | Nosipho Dlamini A. Senzanje T. Mabhaudhi |
| author_sort | Nosipho Dlamini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Buffalo River catchment in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, has limited water resource infrastructure development, and climate change is predicted to increase its water supply deficits by exacerbating water distribution inequalities. This study evaluates and optimises current climate change policy plans on the Buffalo River catchments water system to aid in assessing the sustainability of policies that address the aforementioned challenges. The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus approach, which encourages system thinking by considering interconnections among water, energy, and food resources when developing integrated natural resource management strategies, was used to perform the evaluation. The water system's reliability in meeting projected domestic, agricultural, and energy water demands under climate change conditions was used for gauging the sustainability of the development plans. Findings projected the existing water policy plans to increase the domestic water provision by >70% under climate change; however, the <3% increase in irrigation and energy generation water demand coverage yielded a significant contrast in reliability between densely populated areas and regions with extensive agricultural activities. The optimised policy plans, which improved water provision for all considered sectors increased by >20% under climate change, are thus recommended for future water resource management research and dialogue in the Buffalo River catchment.
HIGHLIGHTS
Water demands and supply reliability under climate change in the Buffalo River catchment, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, were analysed throughout the 21st century using the Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5.;
Existing policy plans were modelled, and results displayed no improvements in irrigation water provisions.;
Adaptation strategies were created which improved the catchment's water supply distribution.; |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T17:44:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-338ecc98875241f1b4194beeb454ffe7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2040-2244 2408-9354 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:08:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | IWA Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Water and Climate Change |
| spelling | doaj.art-338ecc98875241f1b4194beeb454ffe72024-04-17T08:40:48ZengIWA PublishingJournal of Water and Climate Change2040-22442408-93542023-12-0114124465448810.2166/wcc.2023.263263The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus as a tool to develop climate change adaptation strategies: a case study of the Buffalo River catchment, South AfricaNosipho Dlamini0A. Senzanje1T. Mabhaudhi2 Bioresources Engineering Programme, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P. Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa Bioresources Engineering Programme, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P. Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa Centre of Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P. Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa The Buffalo River catchment in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, has limited water resource infrastructure development, and climate change is predicted to increase its water supply deficits by exacerbating water distribution inequalities. This study evaluates and optimises current climate change policy plans on the Buffalo River catchments water system to aid in assessing the sustainability of policies that address the aforementioned challenges. The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus approach, which encourages system thinking by considering interconnections among water, energy, and food resources when developing integrated natural resource management strategies, was used to perform the evaluation. The water system's reliability in meeting projected domestic, agricultural, and energy water demands under climate change conditions was used for gauging the sustainability of the development plans. Findings projected the existing water policy plans to increase the domestic water provision by >70% under climate change; however, the <3% increase in irrigation and energy generation water demand coverage yielded a significant contrast in reliability between densely populated areas and regions with extensive agricultural activities. The optimised policy plans, which improved water provision for all considered sectors increased by >20% under climate change, are thus recommended for future water resource management research and dialogue in the Buffalo River catchment. HIGHLIGHTS Water demands and supply reliability under climate change in the Buffalo River catchment, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, were analysed throughout the 21st century using the Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5.; Existing policy plans were modelled, and results displayed no improvements in irrigation water provisions.; Adaptation strategies were created which improved the catchment's water supply distribution.;http://jwcc.iwaponline.com/content/14/12/4465clews frameworkreliability indexriver basin managementscenario developmentwater allocationwater–energy–food nexus |
| spellingShingle | Nosipho Dlamini A. Senzanje T. Mabhaudhi The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus as a tool to develop climate change adaptation strategies: a case study of the Buffalo River catchment, South Africa Journal of Water and Climate Change clews framework reliability index river basin management scenario development water allocation water–energy–food nexus |
| title | The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus as a tool to develop climate change adaptation strategies: a case study of the Buffalo River catchment, South Africa |
| title_full | The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus as a tool to develop climate change adaptation strategies: a case study of the Buffalo River catchment, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus as a tool to develop climate change adaptation strategies: a case study of the Buffalo River catchment, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus as a tool to develop climate change adaptation strategies: a case study of the Buffalo River catchment, South Africa |
| title_short | The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus as a tool to develop climate change adaptation strategies: a case study of the Buffalo River catchment, South Africa |
| title_sort | water energy food wef nexus as a tool to develop climate change adaptation strategies a case study of the buffalo river catchment south africa |
| topic | clews framework reliability index river basin management scenario development water allocation water–energy–food nexus |
| url | http://jwcc.iwaponline.com/content/14/12/4465 |
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