Search Climate Insights Directory

The report identifies a pool of 147 potential CSA technologies for Nepal, categorizing them into water-smart, energy-smart, nutrient-smart, carbon-smart, weather-smart, and knowledge-smart interventions. Using climate analogue tools, the study maps the suitability of these options across the country, finding that districts like Nawalparasi are representative of the Terai region. Key findings indicate that precision nutrient and water management can significantly increase rice and wheat yields, while zero-tillage in wheat improves profitability despite potential yield decreases. The report argues that scaling out requires a combination of knowledge-transfer, market-based, public-private partnership, and community-based 'Climate-Smart Village' approaches, supported by an enabling environment including credit access and gender-responsive mechanization.

The 'Shubh Kal' pilot project tested a communication model in Bundelkhand, Central India, using community radio to connect vulnerable farmers with scientific and government experts. By training 35 radio reporters in climate change journalism, the project produced 12 radio shows per station using an 'infotainment' approach in local dialects. Findings indicate that the project improved reporters' technical knowledge and confidence, increased farmer awareness of adaptation measures like organic composting and rainwater harvesting, and provided scientists with insights into traditional farming knowledge. The project concluded that community radio can effectively facilitate two-way communication to support climate-resilient development.

Between 2012 and 2017, ACA Threads achieved a 70% reduction in water consumption by investing in new dye vat controllers, modifying dye recipes, using recycled cooling water, and implementing a hot drop capability. These measures reduced water use from 168 litres per kg of dyed thread in 2012 to 50 litres per kg in 2017, resulting in annual water savings of 50,000 kilolitres and financial savings of R1.9 million per year from a total capital investment of R4.5 million.

Bayside Shopping Mall in Cape Town implemented a rainwater and stormwater harvesting system consisting of six 10,000-litre tanks and two header tanks to supply non-potable water for irrigation and toilet flushing. The project required a capital investment of R 1.5 million and achieved a 93% reduction in water consumption for those specific uses, with annual savings of R 200,000 and a five-year payback period.

JG Afrika's Cape Town office reduced its water consumption by 67% between 2011 and 2017 through a phased approach of demand reduction and efficiency upgrades. Initial steps in 2012 and 2013, including reducing irrigation and installing waterless urinals, led to a 24% reduction in average annual water consumption. In response to the Western Cape drought in 2016 and 2017, the firm turned off irrigation entirely, implemented weekly consumption logging, and installed hold-flush toilets, low-flow tap aerators, and low-flow shower heads. These technical interventions were supported by staff education and awareness campaigns. To further increase resilience, the firm installed two 10,000-litre rainwater tanks. The total capital investment for these measures was R13,100, resulting in annual water savings of 727 kilolitres in 2017 and cumulative annual savings of R33,424 since 2011.

BG Servers, a drum reconditioning SMME in Cape Town, reduced its municipal water consumption by 97% between 2009 and 2021. By installing rainwater harvesting and borehole systems, and introducing a vacuum residue system, the company decreased annual municipal usage from 2,300 kl to under 70 kl. These interventions resulted in cumulative municipal account savings of approximately R740,000 from 2011 to 2021. The company's efforts were recognized by the City of Cape Town with a 5-star water rating certification in 2022.

The V&A Waterfront reduced its annual water consumption from 1,370,084 kℓ in 2010 to 479,018 kℓ by 2020, representing a 65% decrease. This was achieved through a phased 'Water Resilience Journey' that prioritised low-cost interventions—such as awareness campaigns and water-efficient fittings—before moving to complex systems like greywater reuse and seawater cooling. Total investments of approximately R7 million in water-saving measures resulted in estimated cost savings of R40 million. The property also utilised 'green leases' to mandate tenant adherence to sustainability principles, with some tenants reducing consumption by 25% to 60%.

The Bekwai Municipal Assembly identifies rainfall variability, forest fires, water scarcity, windstorms, and flooding as its main climate hazards. The document assesses vulnerabilities across five key sectors, noting that services, trade, and finance have the lowest vulnerability score (-0.23), while agriculture and water, health, and sanitation are highlighted as areas of greater concern. Proposed adaptation measures include implementing smart agriculture, modern irrigation, crop insurance, and enhancing climate education.

The text examines the crisis of freshwater depletion and proposes 'natural capitalism' through water efficiency. It details technological and behavioral shifts in agriculture (drip irrigation), landscaping (xeriscaping), and building systems (waterless toilets, graywater recovery), while advocating for decentralized biological wastewater treatment like 'Living Machines'.

The document outlines four plausible scenarios for the year 2010 based on federal regulatory roles and financial environments. It advocates for a 'water soft path' paradigm shift, moving from centralized, demand-driven 'gray infrastructure' toward decentralized, efficient, and integrated 'green infrastructure.' The author identifies drivers for this transition, including end-use efficiency, waterless sanitation, stormwater harvesting, and technological spill-overs from the distributed energy revolution, such as fuel cells and hybrid-electric vehicles.

The report examines Ethiopia's water-poverty nexus, highlighting that while the country has significant water resources, service provision for water supply and sanitation remains among the lowest globally. It argues that poverty reduction depends on improving rural water access, expanding small-scale irrigation, and enhancing rainwater harvesting to ensure food security. The document evaluates the Government of Ethiopia's Universal Access Programme (UAP) and the challenges of meeting Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), noting a critical need for better operation and maintenance of existing infrastructure and increased private sector involvement.

The report examines how water resources in Senegal intersect with poverty alleviation and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While progress has been made in urban water supply, rural sanitation remains a challenge. The study highlights a heavy reliance on groundwater, the role of the Senegal River Basin in food security, and the vulnerability of coastal zones to sea-level rise. It argues for a more holistic Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach that includes rainwater harvesting and better local community participation to ensure sustainable development.

The paper proposes a green-blue water approach to watershed management, emphasizing that managing soil moisture (green water) can increase water productivity and reduce downstream scarcity. It examines the hydrological impacts of land-use changes, such as deforestation and afforestation, and discusses the use of Payments for Environmental Services (PES) to incentivize sustainable upland management. Case studies from the Jordan and Tana River basins illustrate the challenges of transboundary cooperation and the potential for 'soft-path' interventions over large-scale infrastructure.

The report examines the relationship between water productivity, water flows, and ecosystem services, emphasizing that narrow agricultural efficiency often creates trade-offs with broader landscape health. It advocates for an integrated approach to water resource management that values regulating and supporting services alongside provisioning ones.

The document identifies agroforestry, conservation agriculture, rainwater harvesting, and integrated soil fertility management as key practices to combat land degradation and water stress in Sub-Saharan Africa's drylands. It argues that these practices increase crop yields, income, and climate resilience, and outlines seven strategic pathways—including policy reform, knowledge management, and private sector engagement—to accelerate their adoption.

The African Cities Water Adaptation Fund (ACWA Fund) aims to leverage $5 billion by 2032 to implement urban water resilience projects in 100 African cities. The fund employs a blended finance model—combining grants, concessional loans, equity, and debt—to support the full project lifecycle, from risk-based city water plans to the creation of standardized toolkits for scalable solutions. It focuses on an 'investment menu' of low-cost, replicable solutions such as nature-based solutions for flood and wastewater management, rainwater harvesting, and on-site sanitation.

The document discusses the role of 'pans'—shallow, temporary wetlands—in supporting wildlife movement and community water access in southern Africa. It highlights how climate change and land degradation are reducing water availability, leading to increased competition between humans and animals. The text argues that restoring these pans by removing sediment and reestablishing vegetation can maintain natural wildlife corridors and, when combined with separate water supplies for people, mitigate conflict.

The Flood Green Guide, published by WWF International, advocates for an Integrated Flood Management (IFM) approach that prioritizes non-structural methods and combines 'soft' (nature-based) and 'hard' (engineered) structural interventions. It provides a five-stage project cycle—preliminary analysis, method identification, selection and design, operation and monitoring, and project evaluation—to help local managers reduce flood risk. The guide details various techniques, from upper watershed restoration and constructed wetlands to engineered drainage and land-use zoning, while emphasizing the importance of gender analysis, community engagement, and the specific challenges of urban flooding, such as the urban heat island effect and land subsidence.

The guide encourages community-led cooperation to cope with water scarcity, arguing that individual stockpiling is insufficient. It suggests identifying local resources—such as plumbing skills, transport, and communication networks—and forming inclusive groups to coordinate water-saving efforts and emergency planning. The text emphasizes maintaining communication with city officials and suggests that external aid should focus on long-term infrastructure, like rainwater tanks and leak repairs, rather than bottled water.

The document outlines various dry sanitation options for residents of Cape Town facing severe water scarcity, specifically in preparation for 'Day Zero'. It explains the risks of using sea water in sewer systems, the health differences between urine and faeces, and provides detailed guidance on implementing dry compost toilets, pit latrines, commercial systems, and chemical toilets.