How Cape Town can win support for the next round of water cuts
It’s important for the city of Cape Town to inspire residential trust in water restrictions. Without this, the harsh effects of the drought will be exacerbated.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Drought
Displaying 1 - 20 of 162 articles
The immense challenge of desertification in sub-Saharan Africa
Dry areas make up more than 41% of land around the globe and are home to more than two billion people. Despite climate change and other challenges, there are ways to combat land degradation.
How to help farmers prepare for climate change
There is increasing evidence from across many African and South Asian countries that contextual, timely climate information, helps farmers manage the risks they face.
The relationship between drought and famine: lessons from the Horn of Africa
Historically low rainfalls have led to severe droughts in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. But various solutions exist to mitigate the social and economic impact.
How smart meters can save water in drought ridden Cape Town
Smart meters may help water saving initiatives as the drought persists in South Africa’s Western Cape. It can help those who need achieve saving targets.
Desalination? Africa should rather manage its water resources better
Desalination has been proposed as one of many strategies to deal with the water shortages. But the process is known to be expensive and harmful to the environment.
What’s driving Cape Town’s water insecurity, and what can be done about it
Early warning signs of a pending drought are difficult to recognise but cities will have to be better prepared for prolonged changes in weather patterns, so that it can respond quickly.
Is Syria really a ‘climate war’? We examined the links between drought, migration and conflict
Too much emphasis on environmental stress overlooks the role of politics and economics.
What Cape Town can learn from Windhoek on surviving droughts
Windhoek can teach Cape Town on dealing with drought. Technology alone is not enough.
Droughts in East Africa: some headway in unpacking what’s causing them
It's very easy to assume climate change causes droughts, but they are complex extreme events that result from a combination of drivers.
Water shortages in Cape Town are here to stay. What the city can learn from others
There is an increasing demand for water in cities like Cape Town. The current drought exacerbates this. But there are ways to use and save water sustainably.
Cape Town needs a new approach to manage water
Building resilience in Cape Town's water sector will require addressing risks like climate change, drought and flooding. Stormwater and groundwater are tipped as potential solutions.
Kenya needs to protect elderly people during drought and famine emergencies
Older people require both psychological and nutritional support during drought and famine. Kenya needs to implement a comprehensive public health response that assists during emergency situations.
The world’s tropical zone is expanding, and Australia should be worried
The global tropical climate zone is expanding. At the current rate, by 2100 its edge will stretch from Sydney to Perth.
India’s wells are running dry, fast
Hit by weak monsoons, India faces unprecedented water shortages.
Climate change is shrinking the Colorado River
The Colorado River supplies water to millions of people and irrigates thousands of miles of farmland. New research warns that climate change is likely to magnify droughts in the Colorado Basin.
African scientists are punching above their weight and changing the world
Africa's overall contribution to research might be small, but smart people are undertaking smart and important work on and about the continent.
Why 2℃ of global warming is much worse for Australia than 1.5℃
Global warming of 2℃, the higher of the two Paris targets, would see current record-breaking temperatures become the norm in the future, potentially bringing heatwaves to both land and sea.
Australia’s 2016 environment scorecard: rains return but in some cases too late
Rain made a welcome comeback to Australia in 2016 after several years of deepening drought. But Tasmania and the Top End were among several places that did not fare so well.
Red state rural America is acting on climate change – without calling it climate change
With little action at the national level on climate change, state and city officials are taking the lead – but by emphasizing local benefits.
Top contributors
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Climate Scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Manager of Climate Prediction Services, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Climate scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Senior Research Associate, UNSW
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Principal Research Scientist, Wealth from Oceans Flagship, CSIRO
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University of Technology Sydney
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Climate Scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Professorial Research Fellow, Victoria University
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Head of Climate Research/International Development Manager, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Professor of Water Science and Management, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University
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Climate Extremes Research Fellow, University of Melbourne
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Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Melbourne
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Lecturer in Australian History, Monash University
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Associate Professor, History, La Trobe University
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Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate, James Cook University
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