In Zambia, climate change has brought about a severe drought that threatens the viability of the hydroelectric Kariba Dam—one of the largest in the world. As reported in the New York Times, when drought previously took hold in the country, the Kariba Dam remained “a steady, and seemingly limitless, source of something rare in Africa: electricity so cheap and plentiful that Zambia could export some to its neighbors.”^[1]  The Kariba allowed Zambia’s economy to grow, and also contributed to political stability.  However, the severity and persistence of drought has drastically reduced the Kariba Dam’s water supply, and attendant blackouts have crippled the nation’s businesses.  The nation relies on hydropower for 95 percent of its electricity.^[2]

An El Niño weather pattern has introduced drought-related economic stress to Zambia as well as some of the “biggest economies” across the continent, “from Nigeria in the West to Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa to South Africa at its bottom tip.”^[4]  Additionally, drought has plagued many other countries that depend on hydropower for electricity, including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Malawi. 

African governments have cited the need for “climate-resilient infrastructure,” such as irrigation facilities and canals, and in December, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) committed every country in the world—including the world’s wealthiest nations—to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to mitigate dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.^[5]   In 2015, the warmest year on record, extreme rainfall, storms, droughts, wildfires and floods swept across the world, taking lives and destroying livelihoods; however, the UN’s international agreement articulated terms that have no binding obligations on countries, corporations, or any other actors.^[6]  While the agreement includes a pledge to help developing nations—those hit hardest by climate change, such as Zambia—it remains to be seen if “pledges” and “commitments” translate into transformative action.

^{The Linggiu Reservoir in Johor, August 2015  Credit: PUB}

Extreme weather patterns are also affecting the future of desalination in Singapore.  The national water agency, the Public Utilities Board, is examining the possibility of developing Singapore’s fifth desalination plant on Jurong Island.  Singapore currently receives more than half of its water supply from the Linggui Reservoir, which is located in the state of Johor in Malyasia.  However, water levels in the reservoir are extremely low, at 36.9 percent of capacity.  Singapore’s Environment and Water Resources Minister, Masagos Zulkifli, reported to Parliament that the nation should be less reliant on imported water.

The country has already invested heavily in desalination.  In the next four years, two desalination plants in Tuas and Marina East will be completed, providing a total of 227,100 cubic metres of water a day.^[7]  It is expected that the nation’s daily water demand may double by 2060.^[8]

In Namibia, the government may invest in desalination to address water shortages.^[9]  For the 2016-2017 year, the government committed 600 million Namibian dollars (USD $40.8 million) for water programmes that focus mostly on underground water sources.  However, the country’s agriculture minister, John Mutorwa, reportedly favours seawater desalination to infrastructure that relies on rainfall.  Whether this interest spurs the development of new desalination projects is uncertain—although, in the more immediate future, the government may purchase Areva’s existing seawater desalination plant at Swakopmund.  Minister Mutorwa has reported that the Namibian Water Corporation is in conversation with Areva, to see whether the two parties may reach an agreement.