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Unprecedented droughts are expected to exacerbate urban inequalities in Southern Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Maria Rusca

    (The University of Manchester)

  • Elisa Savelli

    (Uppsala University
    Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (CNDS))

  • Giuliano Di Baldassarre

    (Uppsala University
    Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (CNDS))

  • Adriano Biza

    (IHE Delft
    Eduardo Mondlane University)

  • Gabriele Messori

    (Uppsala University
    Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (CNDS)
    Stockholm University
    Bolin Centre for Climate Research)

Abstract

Climate change-related drought risks are intensifying in many urban areas, making stakes particularly high in contexts of severe vulnerability. Yet, how social power, differential agency and economic visions will shape societal responses to droughts remains poorly understood. Here, we build a social-environmental scenario of the possible impacts of an unprecedented drought in Maputo, which epitomizes a Southern African city with highly uneven development and differential vulnerability across urban areas. To build the scenario, we draw on theoretical insights from critical social sciences and take Cape Town (2015–2017) as a case-in-point of a locally unprecedented drought in Southern Africa. We show that future droughts in Southern Africa will probably polarize urban inequalities, generate localized public health crises and regress progress in water access. Climate policies must address these inequalities and develop equitable water distribution and conservation measures to ensure sustainable and inclusive adaptation to future droughts.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Rusca & Elisa Savelli & Giuliano Di Baldassarre & Adriano Biza & Gabriele Messori, 2023. "Unprecedented droughts are expected to exacerbate urban inequalities in Southern Africa," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 98-105, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:13:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41558-022-01546-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-022-01546-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Elisa Savelli & Maurizio Mazzoleni & Giuliano Baldassarre & Hannah Cloke & Maria Rusca, 2023. "Urban water crises driven by elites’ unsustainable consumption," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(8), pages 929-940, August.
    2. Giuseppe Piras & Francesco Muzi, 2024. "Energy Transition: Semi-Automatic BIM Tool Approach for Elevating Sustainability in the Maputo Natural History Museum," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-22, February.
    3. Robert Mutemi Kajiita & Simon Murote Kang’ethe, 2024. "Socio-Economic Dynamics Inhibiting Inclusive Urban Economic Development: Implications for Sustainable Urban Development in South African Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-17, March.

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