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Water Access, Water Scarcity, and Climate Change

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Abstract

This article investigates the approaches of the various discourses operating in the water sector and how they address the issues of scarcity and equitable access under projected climate change impacts. Little synergy exists between the different approaches dealing with these issues. Whilst being a sustainable development and water resources management issue, a holistic view of access, scarcity and the projected impacts of climate change is not prevalent in these discourses. The climate change discourse too does not adequately bridge the gap between these issues. The projected impacts of climate change are likely to exacerbate the problems of scarcity and equitable access unless appropriate adaptation strategies are adopted and resilience is built. The successful delivery of accessible water services under projected climate change impacts therefore lies with an extension of the adaptive water management approach to include equitable access as a key driver.

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Acknowledgments

The research for this article was made possible with funding from the UNITAR C3D programme.

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  1. University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Pierre Mukheibir

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Correspondence to Pierre Mukheibir.

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Mukheibir, P. Water Access, Water Scarcity, and Climate Change. Environmental Management 45, 1027–1039 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-010-9474-6

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