Local Government Climate Change Support Program 2016 Draft Vhembe DM Climate Change Response Plan

Presentation Contents Climate change plan development Activities to date Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Results Draft Climate Change Response Actions

Climate Change Plan Development Developed through the Local Government Climate Change Support Program (LGCCS) First Step - Conducting a climate change vulnerability assessment Second Step - Developing climate change responses Draft plan in place for review http://www.letsrespondtoolkit.org/

Progress to date Toolkit development District level vulnerability assessments 18 May 2016 Draft municipal Climate Change Response Plans

Agriculture

Priority Indicators: Agriculture Theme Indicator Title Agriculture Change in grain (maize, wheat & barley) production

Responses: Agriculture Sub-Project: Managing the change in grain (maize, wheat & barley) production Research and improve understanding of CC impacts on grain production Research and improve understanding of grain production Conduct research on alternative agricultural production that can be implemented Promote knowledge generation, knowledge sharing and stakeholder participation Implement evidence based monitoring initiatives that feed into management systems Identify climate resilient land-uses that will support the agricultural industry’s efforts to exploit new agricultural opportunities

Biodiversity and Environment

Priority Indicators: Biodiversity and Environment Theme Indicator Title Biodiversity & Environment Health impacts from increased storm events Increased heat stress

Responses: Biodiversity and Environment Sub-Project: Managing the health impacts from increased storm events Conduct an impact assessment of increased storm events on health Identify communities that are vulnerable to impacts of increased storm events Conduct workshops that advise communities on how to reduce the risk Establish adequate stockpiles of medications, medical supplies and other resources Commission a reliable early warning system to alert communities and industries Implement effective disaster management systems that will respond to the impacts of increased storm events

Responses: Biodiversity and Environment Sub-Project: Managing the increased heat stress Identify communities that have the least capacity to respond to increased temperatures Conduct awareness campaigns on the health risks of high temperatures Commission a reliable early warning system to alert communities and industries Introduce, enhance and integrate surveillance systems to monitor changes in climate and climate-related diseases Develop a health data-capturing system that records data both at spatial and temporal scales

Human Health

Priority Indicators: Human Health Theme Indicator Title Human Health Increased water borne and communicable diseases Increased Occupational Health problems

Responses: Human Health Sub-Project: Managing the Increased water borne and communicable diseases Strengthen information and knowledge of linkages between disease and CC through research Identify communities that are vulnerable to the spread of waterborne and communicable diseases Create awareness programmes on water borne and communicable diseases Develop mechanisms that will enable vulnerable communities to respond to the spread of waterborne and communicable diseases Establish adequate stockpiles of medications, medical supplies, assistive devices and other resources

Responses: Human Health Sub-Project: Managing the increased Occupational health problems Conduct CC impact assessment on occupational health Identify and profile the groups that are most vulnerable to heat stress and dehydration Conduct awareness campaigns on the health risks of high temperatures in the workplace Commission a reliable early warning system that will alert industries and businesses on extreme weather events

Human Settlements

Priority Indicators: Human Settlements Theme Indicator Title Human Settlements Increased migration to urban and peri-urban areas

Responses: Human Settlement Sub-Project: Managing the increased migration to urban and peri-urban areas Assess drivers and dynamics of migration Identify alternative basic service provision options for rural areas, such as water tanks, new sanitation services, etc Develop and implement rural development programs to create economic opportunities Promote behavioural change within communities that will contribute towards the building of economic nodes

Water

Priority Indicators: Water Theme Indicator Title Water Decreased water quality in ecosystem Less water available for irrigation and drinking Increased impacts of flooding from litter blocking sewer system

Responses: Water Sub-Project: Managing the decreased water quality in ecosystem Research and improve understanding of CC impacts on water quality Conduct a CC impact assessment on health risks to aquatic systems Strengthen management plans on wastewater treatment Adopt and enforce simple, innovative, adaptive engineering approaches wastewater treatment initiatives Identify and implement wastewater monitoring initiatives that will indicate risks to aquatic systems Create an awareness on the reuse of wastewater thus minimising negative impacts of wastewater on aquatic systems Protect and rehabilitate aquatic systems

Responses: Water Sub-Project: Managing the Less water available for irrigation and drinking Research and improve understanding of CC impacts on water quality Incorporate projected CC impacts into the planning of municipal water supply Identify and implement innovative water harvesting and savings initiatives Promote knowledge generation, knowledge sharing and stakeholder participation Collect information on indigenous knowledge which will contribute towards building resilience Plan for projected increases in drought cycles as a result of CC Implement watershed management that responds to reduced water availability

Responses: Water Sub-Project: Managing the increased impacts of flooding from litter blocking sewer system Conduct an impact assessment of CC induced litter and debris Retrofit and modify existing water and sanitation using adaptive engineering approaches Build CC resilient drainage infrastructure t Commission a risk-averse approach to water quality protection by imposing stringent controls on water polluting land uses Incorporate the possibility of extreme water-related CC events into the planning of the provision of basic services Develop a flooding early warning and response system

Local Government Climate Change Support Program 2016 Draft Vhembe DM Climate Change Response Plan