Box 2: Strategic Framework
Climate change adaptation in the water sector is multi-faceted. First, global warming and climate change are by nature planetary phenomenon transcending national political boundaries. Climate change adaptation is therefore a transboundary process which requires the adjustment of societies and economies at different levels, from the grass roots up to the river basin and regional levels.
Second, adaptation is not just about prevention. In many cases, regardless of the level of preparation, extreme events such as floods and droughts will continue to occur in Southern Africa. A sound adaptation strategy should therefore provide recommendations on ways to respond to and recover from these extreme events.
Finally, adaptation in the water sector is not just about water, it is also about the people who use the resource and who are affected by the variations triggered by climate change. Climate change adaptation is therefore as much an issue of water management as it is a matter of water governance. In Soutern Africa, given the limited storage capacity, climate change adaptation is also a matter of infrastructure development.
In order to reflect the different dimensions of adaptation, the SADC CCA Strategy promotes the adoption of a comprehensive and multi-dimensional approach to climate change adaptation, in alignment with integrated water resources management (IWRM). The strategy calls for the implementation of adaptation measures at different levels, at different stages of the adaptation process and in different areas of interventions.