Using climate information for supporting climate change adaptation in water resource management in South Africa

摘要

Water resources, and in particular run-off, are significantly affected by climate variability At present, there are few examples of how the water management sector Integrates information about changing ultra-annual climate conditions in a systematic manner in developing countries This paper, using the case study of Cape Town in the Western Cape, South Africa, identifies processes and products to facilitate increased uptake of seasonal climate forecasts among water resource managers Results suggest that existing seasonal forecasts do not focus enough on specific users' needs In order to increase uptake, forecasts need to include information on the likely Impact of precipitation variability on runoff and water availability More opportunities are also needed for those with climate knowledge to interact with water resource managers, particularly in the developing country context where municipal managers capacity is strained Although there are challenges that need to be overcome in using probabilistic climate information, seasonal forecast information tailored to the needs of water resource planners has the potential to support annual planning and is therefore a means of adapting to climate change