The impacts associated with a changing climate are already rapidly changing the world. Adaptation to accommodate climate change will challenge decision makers at every level of government and in every sector of the economy. This edition of World Resources, aimed at those making these tough decisions, is based on a broad research programme and consultations with experts from more than 30 countries. The report seeks to reveal what steps should be taken to protect vital infrastructure, such as roads, dams, and factories, and the safety of housing stocks.

The world over, the increased degradation of  ecosystems, excessive consumption of water, contamination and salinisation of water-bearings,  aquifers and dams, along with the impact of extreme poverty have been worsened by the privatisation of water utilities. This article examines how climate change will impact on water security, from both the supply and the demand side and how the African continent is especially vulnerable.

Nearly one-third of all water-related disasters occur in Africa. The second issue of Joto Afrika considers the relationship between climate change, the greater incidence of extreme weather events, such as drought and flooding, and the increasing scarcity of water on the African continent. The briefing presents the following six articles and case studies, which reflect on experiences from different countries and regions:

This research report examines the future climate variability of hydrologic regimes and water resources of the Upper Blue Nile River Basin,and the potential impacts of dam operation policies both in the basin and to downstream countries in the 2050s.This report presents three steps for analysing climate change impacts on hydrology and water resources. The first is the construction of the climate change scenarios using multiple general circulation models (GCMs) to understand the current precipitation and temperature patterns.