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Today, many of the world’s river and lake basins are threatened by environmental problems such as change in river flow, water pollution, reduced water availability, salt water intrusion, or loss of plant and animal species. International river basin organizations (RBOs) governing such rivers are increasingly in need to address such challenges. At the same time many of them receive technical and financial support from international donor organizations. The paper therefore addresses the question of how international donor institutions support adaptation capacities of RBOs. The aim is to identify conditions under which donor support to RBOs can support adaptation to environmental changes and improve the resilience of international water basins. It does so by focusing on two cases in Southern Africa, including the Orange-Senqu Basin and the Orange-Senqu River Commission as well as the Cubango-Okavango Basin and the Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission. The findings of the paper illustrate an ambivalent role of international donors with regard to river basin adaptation. While they do provide important means for adaptation in form of knowledge, financial and technical resources, they can, at the same time, threaten the long-term sustainability of adaptation activities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Dispersed by the horticultural industry, Washingtonia filifera and W. robusta have become one of the most ubiquitous ornamental palm species throughout all temperate zones. This paper systematically reviews the state of knowledge of the ecological provisioning services provided by these palms. Review of the extant literature based on a combination of systematic database searches with snowballing. Globally, Washingtonia are a major urban food source for native and invasive animal species. The majority of vectors contribute little to medium-or long-range dispersal. Avian and terrestrial species with a high connective potential facilitate long-distance dispersal. The dead leaves surrounding the stem serve as habitat for numerous native and invasive species. The horticultural plantings of Washingtonia in areas adjacent to but contiguous with their endemic range have allowed a number of user species to expand their range, with one example (Icterus cucullatus) in excess of 1000 km. In non-contiguous areas of introduction (e.g. Europe, Middle East, South Africa or Australia) several species native to those ecosystems have adapted to feeding on Washingtonia drupes, but only few species have adapted to using Washingtonia as habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper provides an analysis of the interplays between climate risks, eco-systems and adaptation decisions using South American and Sub- Saharan African farm surveys. Climate risk indicators such as seasonal Coefficient of Variation in Precipitation ( CVP) and Diurnal Temperature Range ( DTR) are matched with major eco-systems. Adoption decisions of the six natural resource enterprises are modelled using a spatial Logit model. First, this paper finds that climate risks are higher in the grasslands and meadow eco-systems in South America as they are high in the lowland arid zones in Africa. However, climate risks across the continent are, compared with Sub-Saharan Africa, much lower in South America. Second, a higher temperature implies a higher climate risk in Africa, which is not the case in South America owing to the predominant influences of regional weather events such as the ENSO. Third, while the CVP is a dominant risk factor in Africa, the DTR is a dominant risk factor in South America due to the vast ranges of the Andes Mountain. Winter DTR is predicted to fall by 3 °C under both the UKMO and the GISS scenarios by the middle of this century. Altered climate risks will push a large number of farmers to switch away from a crops-only enterprise due to a large decrease in daily temperature variability. Farmers adapt by increasing a crops-livestock enterprise in the grasslands with wood cover and subtropical drought-deciduous forests. This paper provides a coupled analysis of global (climate), local (eco-systems) and individual (adaptation) processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The negligible levels of energy-related GHG emissions attributable to the Southern African subregion translates into the sub-region contributing relatively little towards global climate change. Notwithstanding, the member states comprising the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are among the most vulnerable to the trans boundary effects of global climate change. Existing SADC climate change policy documents highlight the important role of the energy sector in climate change mitigation. Furthermore, various international, African Union and SADC legal instruments stress the crucial role of harmonised law and policy as climate change adaptive measure. It is the central hypothesis of this paper that harmonised subregional law and policy aimed at regulating SADC member states' mitigation efforts in the energy sector is a crucial climate change adaptive strategy. This hypothesis is based on the mandates for the formulation of a SADC climate change action plan and for mitigation in the energy sector. These mandates are contained in the texts of the SADC-CNGO Climate Change Agenda, 2012 and the Southern Africa Sub - Regional Framework on Climate Change, 2010 respectively. It is the main aim of this paper to investigate recent developments in the formulation of harmonised SADC law and policy on climate change in general and law and policy pertaining to mitigation in the energy sector specifically. In achieving the stated aim, themes to be investigated by means of a literature study are those of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change and harmonised sub-regional policy on mitigation in the energy sector as adaptive measure in the SADC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Local government represents a key opportunity for implementing local adaptation to the impacts of climate change. The need for adaptation is most urgent in developing countries, yet most research has focused on the barriers to climate change mainstreaming in municipalities of the global North. This paper presents the results of a study that investigated barriers to action on climate change adaptation in eight municipalities in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Forty-seven municipal actors (officials and councillors) were interviewed regarding the experience of their municipality with climate impacts and adaptive actions (focussing on ecosystem-based adaptation), as well as their knowledge and belief on climate change and adaptation issues. Results show that multiple barriers affect the ability of municipalities to mainstream adaptation issues, from individual-level barriers (such as a lack of understanding of climate change and adaptation options) to regulatory/institutional barriers (such as the problems posed by party politics) to socio-cultural barriers (such as a lack of interest within municipal constituencies for climate change issues). These numerous barriers are not significantly different to those encountered so far in municipalities of the developed world, suggesting that across the globe there are common problems that national and provincial governments need to address in order to mainstream climate change adaptation at the local level (such as changing planning and other laws by which local governments operate in order to recognise climate change impacts). Our research draws attention to a couple of under-researched issues, that of the effects of party politics and councillor qualifications on local government operation and performance, and suggests that much further research should address these topics in both developed and developing countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Understanding how and why farmers have responded to past climatic change is a necessary step to informing how to support current and future adaptation. This paper explores commercial farmers' perceptions of and responses to shifting climates in the Little Brak River area along South Africa's south coast. It aims to evaluate changes in the climate experienced in the area by comparing quantitative statistical analyses of temperature, rainfall and wind data recorded from 1967 to 2009, with qualitative historical narratives and formulated perceptions of change for the same period. This was undertaken in order to test the robustness of the narratives and to understand how farmers' perceptions and experiences drive their climate-related decisions. The narratives revealed that the farmers perceived a gradual but dramatic shift in climate over almost four decades, including increasing temperatures, changing annual rainfall patterns and shifts in predominant wind direction, mirrored by the recorded weather data that show similar results to the narratives. It is evident that farmers' experience with shifting climates has played a large part in driving their adaptive decision-making, but financial capital of these commercial farmers has also been a major factor enabling certain responses. This research contributes to the growing local and regional evidence of variability and change to climate systems, and documents how people have already responded to change in order to help build locally relevant climate change adaptation approaches that could potentially benefit a wider range of farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines climate adaptation strategies of farmers in the Limpopo Basin of South Africa. Survey results show that while many farmers noticed long-term changes in temperature and precipitation, most could not take remedial action. Lack of access to credit and water were cited as the main factors inhibiting adaptation. Common adaptation responses reported included diversifying crops, changing varieties and planting dates, using irrigation, and supplementing livestock feed. A multinomial logit analysis of climate adaptation responses suggests that access to water, credit, extension services and off-farm income and employment opportunities, tenure security, farmers' asset base and farming experience are key to enhancing farmers' adaptive capacity. This implies that appropriate government interventions to improve farmers' access to and the status of these factors are needed for reducing vulnerability of farmers to climate adversities in such arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving the quality of health care is a national priority in many countries to help reduce unacceptable levels of variation in health system practices, performance and outcomes. In 2012, South Africa introduced district-based clinical specialist teams (DCSTs) to enhance clinical governance at the lowest level of the health system. This paper examines the expectations and responses of local health system actors in the introduction and early implementation of this new DCST role.Methods: Between 2013 and 2015, we carried out 258 in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions with managers, implementers and intended beneficiaries of the DCST innovation. Data were collected in three districts using a theory of change approach for programme evaluation. We also embarked on role charting through policy document review. Guided by role theory, we analysed data thematically and compared findings across the three districts.Results: We found role ambiguity and conflict in the implementation of the new DCST role. Individual, organisational and systemic factors influenced actors' expectations, behaviours, and adjustments to the new clinical governance role. Local contextual factors affected the composition and scope of DCSTs in each site, while leadership and accountability pathways shaped system adaptiveness across all three. Two key contributions emerge; firstly, the responsiveness of the system to an innovation requires time in planning, roll-out, phasing, and monitoring. Secondly, the interconnectedness of quality improvement processes adds complexity to innovation in clinical governance and may influence the (in) effectiveness of service delivery.Conclusion: Role ambiguity and conflict in the DCST role at a system-wide level suggests the need for effective management of implementation systems. Additionally, improving quality requires anticipating and addressing a shortage of inputs, including financing for additional staff and skills for health care delivery and careful integration of health care policy guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]