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This policy briefing analyzes the water governance structure of Botswana, highlighting the country's water scarcity and the need for institutional reform. It argues that while the government has developed strategies like the 2013 IWRM-WE plan and a 2012 draft water policy, implementation has been slow, with outdated legislation and a continued reliance on supply-side expansion over demand management.

This document is an appeal submitted by Earthlife Africa Johannesburg on 11 May 2015 to the Minister of Environmental Affairs. The appeal challenges the environmental authorisation granted on 25 February 2015 to Newshelf 1282 (Pty) Limited for the construction of the 1200 megawatt (MW) coal-fired Thabametsi power station near Lephalale in the Limpopo Province. The appellant argues that the decision was unlawful, failed to consider critical air quality and water scarcity issues, ignored climate change obligations, and violated the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA).

This progress report by GreenCape examines water availability and quality as constraints on economic development in the Berg Water Management Area (WMA) and specifically Saldanha Bay. It identifies a disconnect between linear municipal planning processes and the actual water demands of proposed industrial projects, suggesting that current growth-percentage-based projections may underestimate short-term needs. The report proposes an integrated systems approach to planning, explores 'smart' water allocation based on economic productivity, and evaluates a Water Exchange Network to reduce freshwater intake through industrial water cascading.

The 2015 GreenCape Market Intelligence Report on the Water Sector provides an analysis of water resource management in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It details the governance framework, current infrastructure projects, and identifies seven key opportunity areas for private sector investment to address water scarcity and security challenges.

This case study examines the restoration of the Loess Plateau in north-central China between 1994 and 2005. The initiative, involving the Chinese government and the World Bank, focused on curbing soil erosion and improving food security through terracing, afforestation, and the 'Grain for Green' program. While the project achieved significant reductions in sediment runoff and increased per capita grain output, the document highlights long-term sustainability challenges related to species selection, water shortages, and the reliance on government subsidies.

This policy briefing examines the Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM), a joint authority managing the Cubango-Okavango River System between Angola, Namibia, and Botswana. It analyzes the drivers of OKACOM's 20 years of successful cooperation and identifies future challenges, including climate change and asymmetrical economic benefits, while providing recommendations for sustainable trans-boundary water governance.

This amicus curiae brief, submitted by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) on behalf of members of the Mesa Nacional Frente a la Minería Metálica de El Salvador, argues that El Salvador's regulatory measures regarding the 'El Dorado' mining project are consistent with international human rights and environmental obligations. The document contends that the state must protect citizens from the risks of extractive industries, particularly in water-scarce and densely populated areas, and that public interest is defined through environmental democracy and the rights of access to information and participation.

This executive summary details the first year of a GreenCape project (2013-2014) aimed at analyzing water consumption and economic productivity in the Western Cape to identify constraints on economic growth. The project shifted from its initial deliverables to develop a conceptual model and a 'framing question' to determine the optimal water sources, quality, and pricing for specific developments, with a particular focus on Saldanha Bay and the Berg Water Management Area.

Margaret Bowman of the Walton Family Foundation outlines a vision for addressing water shortages in the Colorado River basin through agricultural modernization, urban efficiency, and water recycling. She argues that these strategies can close a projected water supply gap of 3.2 million acre feet by 2060, provided there is political will to scale local successes to a regional level.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) issued a 2014 position statement calling for an immediate moratorium on fracking in Canada. The document outlines severe environmental and public health risks associated with hydraulic fracturing, including the contamination of drinking water, significant greenhouse gas emissions, and the release of carcinogenic chemicals.

This report by Friends of the Earth International documents 'environmental Nakba' in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, specifically the West Bank. It details how the Israeli occupation utilizes land expropriation, water control, toxic waste dumping, and nature conservation designations as tools for colonization and ethnic cleansing.

This report by Friends of the Earth International details ecological injustices and environmental violations committed by Israeli occupants in Palestine, specifically within the West Bank. The authors argue that environmental destruction—including water theft, toxic waste dumping, and the misuse of nature reserves—is an integral part of a broader project of colonization and ethnic cleansing, which they term an "ecological Nakba."

This case study examines the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), a large-scale transboundary water transfer scheme between Lesotho and South Africa. While praised for its engineering, the project has faced significant challenges regarding corruption, social displacement, and the long-term impact of climate change on water security.

The National Water Resource Strategy (NWRS2), published in June 2013 by the Department of Water Affairs, provides a strategic framework for the protection, use, development, conservation, and management of South Africa's water resources over a five-to-ten-year period. The strategy aims to align water management with the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality. It identifies South Africa as a water-stressed country facing challenges such as security of supply, environmental degradation, and resource pollution. The NWRS2 prioritizes equitable water allocation, water conservation and demand management (WCWDM), and the establishment of robust institutional arrangements, including nine Catchment Management Agencies and nine Regional Water Utilities. To implement these goals, the document estimates a total sector investment requirement of R700 billion over ten years.

Budget Vote speech delivered by Minister Edna Molewa of the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs (DWA) on May 21, 2013, outlining the department's focus on equity, redistribution, infrastructure development, and water security in South Africa.

This case study examines the China–Sweden Erdos Eco-Town Project, an effort to implement full-scale dry sanitation systems with urine diversion in an arid urban area of northern China. While the project provided valuable learning regarding the technical and social challenges of upscaling eco-toilets, it was ultimately overshadowed by rapid economic growth and compromised by poor construction quality and a lack of dedicated ownership.

This report, commissioned by the UNDP and implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), assesses climate risks and risk management capacity for the water and agriculture sectors in the Yaque del Sur basin of the Dominican Republic. It combines scientific modelling (WEAP and DSSAT) with participatory community consultations to identify vulnerabilities and propose concrete adaptation strategies.

This report evaluates climate risks and management capacities for the water and agriculture sectors in the Dominican Republic, with a specific focus on the Yaque del Sur basin. It combines scientific modeling (WEAP and DSSAT) with participatory community research to identify vulnerabilities and propose adaptation strategies. The analysis highlights a critical water deficit in the Yaque del Sur basin, exacerbated by rising temperatures and declining precipitation, which threatens food security and rural livelihoods. The report identifies significant gaps in institutional coordination between disaster risk management and climate change adaptation bodies and recommends a comprehensive national program to integrate these approaches, improve data accessibility, and implement specific field-level interventions such as crop diversification and irrigation efficiency improvements.

This report, commissioned by the UNDP and implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), assesses climate risks and risk management capacity within Nicaragua's health sector. It identifies a strong link between climate variability—specifically heavy rainfall, floods, and droughts—and the prevalence of water-borne and vector-borne diseases, exacerbated by systemic vulnerabilities in water and sanitation infrastructure.

This report, commissioned by the UNDP and implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), assesses climate risks and risk management capacity in Peru, specifically focusing on the agricultural sector in the regions of Junín and Piura. It combines scientific data with community consultations to identify vulnerabilities and propose integrated strategies for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation.