National Climate Change Response Green Paper – Comments by WRC

1. National Climate Change Response Green Paper – Comments by WRC Chris Moseki, Water Research Commission of SA (WRC) • Parliament, Cape Town • 3 March 2011

2. Overview of the presentation(Areas that need to be addressed) • Introduction & Principles • Seawater intrusion, Ecosystem Approach Principle • National Climate Change Response Strategy • Mainstreaming climate change into existing Policies • Key adaptation sectors – Water & Agriculture • Water quality, drinking water & mine water reuse • Efficient water use in agriculture • Key mitigation sector - Transport • Improved confidence & efficiency in public transport • Biodiversity, human settlements & resources • Impacts on biodiversity & human settlements; skills development • Concluding Remarks Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

3. Introduction • This section entails the rationale and purpose of the Green Paper on response to climate change impacts • Status of climate (e.g. SA is a water stressed country) • Government to create enabling environment for tackling the impacts • Potential sea level rise resulting in saline intrusion of coastal aquifers • thus impacting on water quality, and • flooding of low lying settlements (the vulnerable poor could be hardest hit) • also need to be considered RSA is 30th driest country in the World; Highly variable climate & fossil fuel dependent vulnerable economy; potential impacts on infrastructure Climate observation and the planned stabilization of GHG emissions; the need to adapt to climate effects Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

4. The objective of the response … • Giving effect to the Constitutional provisions regarding the right to a safe environment and the future generation’s right by • Ensuring fair attribution towards GHG stabilisation • Interventions or adaptation action to address climate change impacts • is reasonable Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

5. Principles • All principles mentioned (e.g. precautionary, people-centred, polluter pay, are acceptable) • However, for the country such as RSA with fragile ecosystem goods & services that support communities’ livelihoods – the Ecosystem Approach Principle is also important because therein: • other human-induced impacts such as pollution are also considered in decision making processes • ensures protection of ecosystem goods & services Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

6. Climate Change Response Strategy • Each strategy mentioned (e.g. balanced approach to mitigation and adaptation responses such as resource allocation) is fine • Emphasis on mainstreaming of climate change responses into policy formulation and practice is important • Taking climate issues into account when implementing Government Policies is a challenge yet crucial (e.g. modifying international water sharing agreements, if climate projections indicate that less water will be available in future) Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

7. Key adaptation sector - Water • Additional item on water quality is suggested: • Rising temperatures due to climate change could cause increased evaporation rate thus leading to increased salt concentration in water = water quality deterioration • High temperatures in nutrient rich waters promotes eutrophication • Research & development coupled with monitoring at various levels should form part of the solution package for effective results Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

8. Water – the adaptation sector (2) • Drinking water (potable): • Both quantity and quality are important: • it is now known that emerging pathogens are resistant to chlorine (including viruses, parasites & bacteria that cause hepatitis or gastroenteritis, cryptosporidium, etc) • Results of research studies (WRC Reports 584/1/96; 231/1/93, etc) • Impacts of sea water desalination on marine ecology & the technology as just one option • effluent of concentrated brine could harm marine ecology • E.g. Fishing Palestinian community’s livelihoods in Gaza is threatened by return waste (concentrated brine) from Mediterranean desalination plants • Desalination guides (e.g. WRC reports TT 296/06, 1326/1/04, etc) Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

9. Water – the adaptation sector (3) • Drinking water (potable): • Water-energy nexus: • Opportunities in increasing efficiency in energy use and use of renewable energy (solar, wind, etc) + nanotechnology • Results of research studies (WRC Reports 347/2/96; KV 195/07, etc) • Increased average temperature could impact on pathogens • Enforce treatment of effluent to decrease potential impact Pneumonia Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

10. Water – the adaptation sector (3) • Mine water (reuse): • Efficiency in water use including recycling and reuse: • Treated mine water is also a resource to augment supply • Regulatory framework to enable treatment and reuse • Results of research studies (WRC Reports 1298/1/04, 1347/1/05) • Water is pumped from mine below (off-peak) to storage above, then reversed for electricity generation Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

11. Agriculture – adaptation/mitigation • Increased efficiency in agricultural water use is recommended for this major water user sector • Stating the need for efficiency has to be explicit here • Several reports (WRC TT466/10, TT465/10, 1189/1/05, etc) Drip irrigation Greenhouse Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

12. Key Mitigation Sector – Transport • Improve conditions under which public transport is operated – preferred mode of transport by commuters • e.g. efficiency, safety, & compliance to road regulations • If more people use public transport that could lead to less carbon emission, reduced costs & less congestion on roads Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

13. Aquatic to terrestrial biodiversity • Freshwater ecosystem is discussed here: • Increased temperature (and resulting reduced water flow and chemistry) impacts on biodiversity (i.e. Loss of aquatic biodiversity among others) • Also promote research in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem adaptation Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

14. Human Society, Livelihoods and services FLOODING • Settlements, Infrastructure & Built Environment – Urban: • Giving effect to cooperative governance (coordination) & compliance to regulations on land management are key • Otherwise the vulnerable poor could be negatively impacted • Zoning to prevent settlements in flood prone areas is crucial • Settlements, Infrastructure & Built Environment – Coastal: • Unsustainable use of coastal groundwater could trigger sea water intrusion impacting on water quality • Sustainable management and use (balance use & protection) • Zoning may be part of the solution is well Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

15. Inputs and Resources Mobilization • Human Resource • Though climate science research in South Africa is World class, number of researchers is low & declining • Government to take the lead in provision of adequate and predictable resources for skills development • Technological Resources • Mainstreaming climate change into policy formulation and practice is necessary • Therefore research results and products have to be taken up to support (or inform) implementation Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

16. Concluding remarks • Sector issues including water have potential to be adequately be addressed in the Green Paper • Water needs a balance between mitigation & adaptation • Climate change response strategy will have details • Each sector including water should have a strategy • Water quality and efficient water use are crucial • Ensuring compliance to regulations could save lives • Climate science skills are necessary for good research Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris

17. THANK YOU Climate Change Green Paper_ 2011_Chris