{"query_echo":{"q":"","filters":{"climate_tags":["water resource management"]},"warnings":[{"code":"facet_value_not_in_vocabulary","message":"Value 'water resource management' for facet 'climate_tags' is not in the controlled vocabulary."}]},"total":{"value":7,"relation":"eq"},"page":1,"page_size":20,"self":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/api/v1/search?climate_tags=water+resource+management","stability":"beta","ai_marking":{"digital_source_type":{"uri":"http://cv.iptc.org/newscodes/digitalsourcetype/trainedAlgorithmicMedia","name":"Created using Generative AI"},"notice":"Summary and key insights are generated using artificial intelligence."},"results":[{"id":"cer-000359","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-000359","title":"OBJECTIONS TO THE INTEGRATED WATER USE LICENCE APPLICATION FOR PROPOSED IPP THABAMETSI POWER STATION","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":"2017-01-20","source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Annexure-3-IWULA-ELA-Objections-on-Thabametsi.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Centre for Environmental Rights, acting for Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, submitted formal objections on 20 January 2017 to the Integrated Water Use Licence Application (IWULA) for the proposed Thabametsi power station, a 1200MW coal-fired project near Lephalale, Limpopo. The objections argue that the application is legally flawed, relies on outdated data, fails to secure a sustainable water supply for the project's 40-year lifespan, and poses significant risks to groundwater and wetlands.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000359#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"There is a significant risk of groundwater contamination because the proposed ash dump and stockpile are planned for location on major fault zones, which the Groundwater Impact Study identifies as \"major contaminant transport pathways.\"","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000359#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The project poses risks to local wetlands that are allegedly misrepresented in the IWULA. While the applicant claims no footprint will impact wetlands, transmission lines and raw water pipelines are planned to pass through wetland areas and their buffer zones.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000359#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The project's water security is considered tenuousLSSSSSS-unstable because it relies on a speculative future water transfer scheme, the Mokolo Crocodile Water Augmentation Project Phase 2 (MCWAP2). The project's EIA process for MCWAP2 is incomplete, and the scheme has faced significant technical delays.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000359#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The project may exacerbate existing water constraints in the Mokolo catchment, where allocations already exceed the historic firm yield of 38.7 million m3 per annum. This could jeopardize water for agriculture, domestic use, and other infrastructure like the Medupi power station.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000359#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The consultants who authored the IWULAR and IWWMP, Johan Maré and Dwayne Miller, are allegedly not registered with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), which is a requirement for practicing in their respective fields of microbiology and environmental science.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000359#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["climate change","water scarcity","coal-fired power","water resource management"],"geography_discussed":["Botswana","Mozambique"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["legal objection","environmental impact assessment review"]},{"id":"cer-000057","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-000057","title":"Comments on proposed changes to the National Water Amendment Bill as published in GN 4097 in GG 49733 of 17 November 2023","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/01-03-2024-CER-Comments-on-National-Water-Amendment-Bill.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) provides detailed comments on the proposed National Water Amendment Bill, focusing on the protection of water source areas, the integration of climate change resilience, and the strengthening of public participation and enforcement mechanisms in water licensing.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000057#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The CER supports the creation of a new chapter for the protection of water source areas but argues that the terminology should be changed to \"Strategic Water Source Areas\" (SWSAs) to align with the 2018 Water Research Commission (WRC) report and the National Water and Sanitation Masterplan. They propose a specific definition for SWSAs based on mean annual surface water runoff or high groundwater recharge.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000057#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER welcomes the inclusion of climate conditions in the Act's purpose but suggests the wording be strengthened to explicitly address the need to build resilience against the impacts of climate change, rather than just managing \"climate conditions\".","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000057#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Regarding the prohibition of activities in water source areas, the CER argues that the ban on mining should be extended to include oil and gas extraction due to risks of groundwater contamination from methane and total dissolved solids, as well as increased aquifer interconnectivity caused by drilling.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000057#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER criticizes the current discretionary nature of public participation in water use licence (WUL) applications under section 41(4), asserting that it violates constitutional rights. They demand that public participation be made mandatory and that all application documents and expert reports be made available to the public.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000057#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER advocates for stronger financial safeguards, suggesting that section 30 be amended to allow the responsible authority to require security from licence holders throughout the life of the licence, not just from applicants. This is intended to prevent the abandonment of projects by companies once they cease to be profitable before rehabilitation is complete.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000057#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER supports the proposed introduction of personal liability for directors of business entities and municipal managers for offences under section 151, viewing it as a necessary deterrent to promote compliance and prevent the pollution of water resources.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000057#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["climate change","water security","climate resilience","water resource management"],"geography_discussed":["Lesotho","Eswatini","Enkangala-Drakensberg"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["policy analysis","legal commentary"]},{"id":"cer-000068","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-000068","title":"11-4d604f093b78e1d1.pdf","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/11.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"This report, prepared by GCS Water and Environment (Pty) Ltd for the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), reviews the Integrated Water Use License Application (IWULA) and the resulting license (IWUL) issued to Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd for the proposed Yzermyn underground coal mine in Mpumalanga. GCS concludes that the specialist studies supporting the license are fundamentally flawed, containing significant data gaps and low-confidence modeling. The review highlights a high risk of irreversible damage to sensitive wetlands and groundwater resources, noting that the IWUL lacks sufficient conditions to mitigate these impacts and fails to authorize critical post-closure water treatment needs.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000068#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The groundwater model developed by Delta h (2014) is characterized by a low confidence level and is unsuitable for design or engineering purposes. This is due to limited monitoring data (covering only four months of a single dry season), poorly defined structural geology regarding dolerite sills and faults, and the use of a steady-state model that cannot assess seasonal variations.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000068#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The proposed mine poses a substantial risk to high-value wetlands, specifically the NFEPA wetland CVB5, which falls within PES category B and EIS category A. GCS finds that the mine's dewatering will create cones of drawdown in both shallow and deep aquifers, potentially drying up all groundwater-dependent wetlands above the underground workings for up to 60 years.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000068#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Specialist wetland assessments conducted by SAS (2014 and 2015) are deemed inadequate because they relied on Level 1 desktop evaluations with limited field verification and were conducted only during the dry season. Consequently, the reports failed to properly assess wetlands within the underground mining boundary or the specific impacts of the predicted groundwater drawdown.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000068#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"There is a critical lack of information regarding post-closure water management. While decant is expected approximately 45 years after operations cease, there is no detailed plan or cost analysis for a post-closure water treatment plant in the Integrated Water and Waste Management Plan (IWWMP). GCS notes that the IWUL does not authorize the necessary water use for post-closure discharge.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000068#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The Pollution Control Dam (PCD) sizing is likely inaccurate due to the wide range of estimated mine inflow rates (218 to 3,010 m3/d) and the use of flawed rainfall data. GCS asserts that the simulated rainfall was consistently lower than measured rainfall, which may lead to the PCD being undersized and prone to spilling in an environmentally sensitive area.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000068#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The project is located in a highly sensitive ecological area, including the Wakkerstroom/Luneburg Grasslands and adjacent to the Mabola and KwaMandlagampisi Protected Environments. The area contains several Conservation Important (CI) floral and faunal species, yet some specialist reports incorrectly claimed the habitat importance was 'extremely limited'.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000068#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"A significant portion of the coal samples (67%) were classified as potentially acid generating. GCS identifies a major gap in the assessment of pollution plumes emanating from the mine void, which could contaminate surrounding aquifers and eventually surface in rivers, wetlands, or springs.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000068#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["energy transition","coal mining","water resource management","environmental impact assessment","groundwater depletion"],"geography_discussed":["KwaMandlagampisi Protected Environment","Assegaai River"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["technical review","environmental audit"]},{"id":"cer-000157","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-000157","title":"2012-morgan-q2280-workings-of-the-water-tribunal-annex-c-906c7fd366208a26.pdf","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-Morgan-Q2280-workings-of-the-water-tribunal-Annex-C.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"This legal opinion, authored by Paul Kennedy SC on 16 May 2012, addresses the legal implications of the Water Tribunal operating without a duly appointed chairperson following the resignation of the previous chairperson on 31 December 2011.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000157#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The Water Tribunal is a statutory body established under the National Water Act 36 of 1998, meaning its members only possess authority and powers specifically conferred upon them by that empowering statute.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000157#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["water resource management","environmental law","governance"],"geography_discussed":[],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["legal opinion"]},{"id":"cer-000976","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-000976","title":"gg39299_nn999-4f74e9710029f71b.pdf","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/gg39299_nn999.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"A 2015 notice from the South African Department of Water and Sanitation declaring the exploration and production of onshore hydrocarbons requiring stimulation, such as hydraulic fracturing, as a controlled activity under the National Water Act, 1998.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000976#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, acting under sections 38(1) and (4) of the National Water Act, 1998, declared the exploration and production of onshore naturally occurring hydrocarbons that require stimulation to be a controlled activity. This includes, but is not limited to, underground gasification and hydraulic fracturing, as well as any incidental activities that could detrimentally impact water resources.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000976#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The notice includes a schedule of controlled activities under section 37 of the National Water Act, 1998, which lists the following: irrigation of land with industrial waste or water containing waste via a waterwork; activities modifying atmospheric precipitation; power generation activities altering the flow regime of a water resource; intentional recharging of an aquifer with waste or water containing waste; and the aforementioned onshore hydrocarbon stimulation activities.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000976#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["energy transition","hydrocarbons","hydraulic fracturing","water resource management"],"geography_discussed":[],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["regulatory notice"]},{"id":"cer-001299","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-001299","title":"record-13.3-pg-13-24-1-24613c0bb7573bb6.pdf","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Record-13.3-pg-13-24-1.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"This document is an excerpt from Eskom's Air Quality Improvement Plan, detailing the strategy to reduce particulate and gaseous emissions from its power stations. It outlines a phased and prioritised approach to compliance with Minimum Emission Standards (MES), focusing on retrofitting the highest emitting and newest stations first. The plan identifies critical constraints including funding, water availability on the Highveld, and skilled human resources, while proposing air quality offsets in vulnerable communities to mitigate local pollution.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001299#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Eskom has set specific relative emission reduction targets to be achieved by FY2026: particulate matter (PM) emissions are to be reduced by 63%, SO2 emissions by 18%, and NOx emissions by 23%.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001299#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The company has adopted a 'phased and prioritised approach' to compliance with Minimum Emission Standards because full compliance is deemed not feasible without compromising financial and operational sustainability. This strategy targets the highest emitting stations first and prioritises newer, larger stations due to their longer remaining life.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001299#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The emission reduction plan carries significant financial and operational implications, including a CAPEX cost of R107 billion (FY2016 nominal cost excluding IDC) and annual OPEX costs of approximately R1.3 billion. It is also expected to increase water consumption by 5% (16 million m³/annum) and produce 2.7 million tons of FGD by-product waste annually.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001299#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Water availability is a critical constraint for Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) retrofits on the Highveld, with sufficient water expected only when the second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Transfer Scheme becomes operational, currently scheduled for 2023.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001299#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Eskom is implementing air quality offsets to reduce pollution in vulnerable communities, such as replacing coal-burning stoves with cleaner energy or improving insulation. These offsets are a condition for approved Minimum Emission Standards postponements and are required for all power stations on the Highveld, including Lethabo.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001299#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The plan identifies several internal and external risks, including a lack of alignment between Eskom departments causing retrofit delays, insufficient skilled resources for design and construction, and the threat of criminal prosecution or plant shutdowns due to non-compliance with emissions.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001299#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["air quality","emission reduction","coal-fired power plants","environmental compliance","water resource management"],"geography_discussed":["Waterberg District Municipality","Mpumalanga","Kwazamokuhle","Hendrina","Ezamokuhle","Sharpville"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["Strategic Plan","Impact Assessment"]},{"id":"wri-001531","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/wri-001531","title":"wrr_case_study_china_agriculture-5012818b67af7f8a.pdf","publisher":{"name":"World Resources Institute","organization":"world-resources-institute"},"document_type":"case study","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wrr_case_study_china_agriculture.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"This case study examines the integration of climate change adaptation into China's Comprehensive Agricultural Development (CAD) program, specifically through the World Bank-financed Irrigated Agriculture Intensification Loan III Project (IAIL3) and a subsequent Global Environmental Facility (GEF) grant. Focused on the 3H Plain, the initiative aimed to address water scarcity and agricultural vulnerability by implementing drought-resistant crop varieties, water-harvesting infrastructure, and capacity-building for farmers, including rural women.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wri-001531#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The 3H Plain (comprising the Yellow, Huaihe, and Haihe River basins) is a critical grain production base for China, but it is highly vulnerable to climate change due to severe water scarcity. Per capita water availability in the region is only one third of the national average, which is half of the United Nations standard for socioeconomic and environmental development.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wri-001531#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Climate trends in the 3H Plain over the last 50 years show a clear warming trend, with mean temperatures increasing by 1.18°C. Precipitation has fluctuated, but the region is becoming drier; mean precipitation declined by 140 mm between 1956 and 2000, leading to more frequent spring droughts.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wri-001531#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Rural women in the 3H Plain are identified as the most vulnerable group to climate risks. Due to the migration of young males for employment, a \"feminization of agriculture\" has occurred, with women making up 70% to 80% of the agricultural labor force in some areas, increasing their labor burden during extreme weather events.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wri-001531#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The IAIL3 project, supplemented by a US$5 million GEF grant, transitioned from a general irrigation project to one that explicitly mainstreams climate change adaptation. Key technical interventions included the introduction of the Xuzhou Wheat No. 31 variety—a drought- and pest-resistant semi-winter/spring wheat—and the construction of 'water-stopping walls' to store irrigation water and prevent chemical runoff.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wri-001531#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The project achieved significant scale by December 2010, with a cumulative investment of RMB 3.8 billion (US$587 million). It improved 505,500 hectares of low- and medium-yielding farmland, established over 1,000 water user associations, and planted nearly 25,000 hectares of wind-breaking forest.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wri-001531#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Adaptation measures have demonstrated tangible benefits in disaster resilience and income. In Huaiyuan County, Anhui Province, project-funded irrigation facilities allowed wheat crops to be irrigated five days faster than in non-project counties during a 2009 winter drought. In Xinyi Municipality, the use of greenhouses for off-season vegetables increased income to RMB 50,000 per mu.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wri-001531#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The project has influenced provincial policy, specifically in Anhui, where climate change adaptation principles and investment criteria were integrated into the provincial CAD investment guideline. This has led to the expansion of adaptation measures from 16 counties to 93 counties, increasing the affected area from 72.6 thousand hectares to 2.7 million hectares.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wri-001531#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["adaptation","agriculture","water resource management","food security","gender"],"geography_discussed":["Ningxia","Beijing","Tianjin","Xinyi","Huaiyuan County"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["Case Study","Policy Evaluation"]}]}