3. The Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources in the Anthropocene: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies in Southern Africa

This chapter explores the consequences of climate change on water resources in Southern Africa during the Anthropocene era, focusing on mitigation and adaptation strategies. The region's vulnerable water systems are significantly affected by the changing climate, resulting in increased variability, extreme weather events, and water scarcity. These impacts exacerbate existing water challenges, such as limited access, inadequate infrastructure, and inefficient management practices. Consequently, both human and natural systems face severe socio-economic and ecological consequences. The depletion of water resources in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as a result of climate change has a variety of negative implications, including increased food insecurity, transborder disputes, and an increase in health problems, among other socio-economic factors. This reality appears to be exacerbated by the increasing pressure on anthropogenic causes and consequences of global warming in the Anthropocene. To minimise the vulnerability of communities in Southern Africa, it is vital to rethink strategies that aim at mitigating the impacts of climate change on water resources. Thus, climate change adaptation is paramount and vital. This requires support and resources to diversify the livelihoods of the people in the Southern African region, particularly Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Mozambique, as these countries are the most susceptible to the negative impacts of climate change. The purpose of the current review is to assess viable alternative solutions to customise interventions for these regions. A review of the literature highlights various strategies that can be employed to minimise local community vulnerability and build resilience. As many of the impacts of these strategies are subjective in nature, this article recommends an integrated approach, such as community-based disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) programs, to improve the efficacy of aid and minimise the uncertainty experienced by communities in the nations mentioned here.