Authors: Anna Murgatroyd, Katrina Charles, Alice Chautard, Ellen Dyer, Catherine Grasham, Rob Hope, Sonia Hoque, Marina Korzenevica, Callum Munday, Jorge Alvarez-Sala, Simon Dadson, Jim Hall, Seifu Kebede, Anna Nileshwar, Daniel Olago, Mashfiqus Salehin, Fiona Ward, Richard Washington, Dan Yeo, and Gete Zeleke

This report presents a synthesis of published and ongoing research by REACH which explores the relationship between water security, climate and climate adaptation decisions, drawing on findings from REACH research conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

We demonstrate the unequal impact of climate on water security, and on people’s lives and livelihoods, which can be counter-intuitive to broad narratives around resilience and adaptation. We exemplify the impact of seasonal fluctuations in weather on surface and groundwater quality and quantity, and show that water security risks evolve with shifting climate conditions, water use behaviours, and policy decisions. We also present a deepened understanding of location- and context specific climate issues and dynamics, revealing a pressing need to consider and plan for different distributional impacts of climate and climate change.

 Download