Abstract
This chapter focuses on the effect of climate change on the urban population in Zimbabwe with particular focus on the capital city of Harare and its environs. Its purpose is to show how the phenomenon of climate change has over the years become a major threat to human security in this city and its surroundings in particular, and in Zimbabwe in general. The chapter shows how climate change has been intensifying over the years, and how this development has resulted in increased and more intense episodes of pollution, flooding, deforestation, drought and shortage of water. It also demonstrates how changes in climate have exacerbated urban poverty. Urban agriculture, in particular, has been badly affected, robbing residents of a major survival strategy.
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- 1.
ZANU (PF) has ruled the country since Independence from Britain in 1980, until the formation of the inclusive government with the two formations of the MDC party in early 2009.
- 2.
Nutrient pollution, which may promote excessive plant growth and decay, weedy species, and hence reducing quality of water (Tsiko 2007).
- 3.
ZESA (Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority) is the national electricity utility.
- 4.
Lake Chivero also supplies water to residents of the dormitory town of Chitungwiza, as well as surrounding peri-urban areas.
- 5.
Zimbabwe has lost an unprecedented number of professionals, often trained at a great expense to the country, including doctors, engineers, lawyers, chemists, etc. By 2003, 60% of trained professionals had left the country (Sparks 2003). The numbers have continued to skyrocket.
- 6.
ZINWA has over the years been solely responsible for water affairs in Zimbabwe’s urban areas, an arrangement bitterly opposed by residents in many urban areas. Apparently, there are moves to transfer the responsibility from ZINWA back to local authorities because ZINWA has struggled to deliver.
- 7.
In September 2009, the author noticed that work had started in the city of Harare to replace some ageing underground pipes. It could not be established, however, whether this was part of a bigger programme to upgrade the entire water and sewer systems.
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Mupedziswa, R. (2011). Climate Change and Its Effect on Urban Housing and Liveable Cities: The Case of Harare, Zimbabwe. In: Yuen, B., Kumssa, A. (eds) Climate Change and Sustainable Urban Development in Africa and Asia. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9867-2_14
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