OneWorld was excited to facilitate and present in a Climate and Water Value Chain Workshop hosted by the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) in partnership with the South African Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). The workshop brought together key players from across water-dependent sectors, to discuss the findings of a study by OneWorld, commissioned by the PCC, on the state of adaptation readiness in the country’s water value chain.
The workshop was reported on by the Daily Maverick, in an article “SA’s ‘water wars’ to worsen due to climate crisis, Presidential Climate Commission told”, written by Julia Evans.
With three million South Africans lacking access to water, and the number being likely to increase in the face of more severe and more frequent climate impacts, the PCC commissioned this study along with two others, on agriculture and the built environment.
Belynda Petrie at the PCC water sector workshop in October 2024
OneWorld’s CEO, Belynda Petrie, and our integrated water resource management expert, Ruth Beukman, presented key findings from the report, outlined the study approach, and elicited expert perspectives for enhancing and validating the research findings.
A highlight on the day included an opening keynote perspective by the Deputy Director General of the department, Deborah Mochotlhi, who affirmed the Department’s recognition of the urgency of the climate change threat, and the need for collaborative governance in addressing its impacts. DWS also delivered an insightful presentation on the forthcoming Climate Change Response Strategy for the water sector, which the PCC and OneWorld work seeks to support.
Key insights on strategies for enhancing the resilience of the water value chain included the need for revolutionising local government capacity and cross-sectoral and intergovernmental cooperation and ensuring inclusivity at all levels. These are among the necessary conditions for climate adaptation readiness in the water value chain.
See below for a recording of the event.
