LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES We are at your ServiceRe

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES We are at your Service/Re sebelise CLIMATE CHANGE PRESENTATION Lesotho Water Week Seminar 5 th – 7 th April 2011

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES PRESENTATION OUTLINE The climate system Background Definition of CC Observation/Scenarios Impacts Globally, Regionally Lesotho Water Resources Adaptation /Projects

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES BACKGROUND q Of all resources available to mankind, climate is one that has always been taken for granted • Climate always changed in the past but over a long time scales…ice age etc q The current climate change is taking place at a faster rate. q. Climate Change has evolved to be major issue of our times q. Climatological q. Example of Maldives Environmental Socio-Economic survival Issue

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES DEFINITION OF CLIMATE CHANGE q CLIMATE CHANGE = GLOBAL WARMING • UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines climate change as “A change of climate that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and that is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods”.

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES GREEN HOUSE GASES (GHGs) - Carbon dioxide, methane, … most industrial emissions • They reside in the lower atmosphere, below 10 km • Some of GHGs have a long residence period e. g carbon dioxide can last for 100 – 110 years, while methane can last for 8 -10 years GREEN HOUSE GASES GREEN HOUSE EFFECT GLOBAL WARMING

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES EVIDENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES Global surface temperature change over the last 1300 years (relative to 1961~1990) AR 4: Average temperature during the second half of the 20 th century were likely the warmest 50 years over the last 1300 years.

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES EVIDENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE CONT… • Increase of rainfall at some places and decrease at some places • Melting of Ice Caps • Sea level rise • Extreme and prolonged drought e. g. 1970 s in Sahelan Africa • High frequency of cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons and tsunami • Heat waves in Europe • Extreme Weather Events e. g. Snowfall

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES Destruction of construction due to destructive storms and winds occurs frequently

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES SCENARIOS q q Warmer climatic Conditions Lower precipitation in spring and summer Higher precipitation in winter Gradually increasing precipitation in Autumn q Shift in precipitation patterns

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES IMPACTS based on literature and expert judgment IPCC. Adaptation is not taken into account. IMPACTS Major impacts of climate change on crop and livestock yields, and forestry production by 2050

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES In most land areas, the proportion of heavy precipitation is increasing. Frequency of heavy precipitation in Lesotho is also increasing. Distribution of the proportion of heavy precipitation and extreme heavy precipitation (+: increase; -: decrease)

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES High temperatures, poor grass cover, lower rainfall, frequent droughts, rainstorms etc are likely to increase soil erosion far above current levels. This further weakens the capacity of the soils to support the country’s biological and economic well-being

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES CLIMATE CHANGE ON WATER RESOURCES q Water Availability 1. Where precipitation decreases, the net supplies decreases increase in water demand particularly in areas like agriculture 2. Changes in streamflow have important implications for water and flood management, irrigation and planning q Water Quality 1. Where steamflow fall, there will be less dilution of pollutants 2. Flooding can affect water quality and increase sedimentation

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES CLIMATE CHANGE ON WATER RESOURCES OVER LESOTHO q Reduced surface and sub-surface runoff as a result of the predicted lower precipitation q The country will enter a water stress period of less than 1700 m 3 per capita per year by 2019 q Water scarcity of less than 1000 m 3 per capita per year by 2062 q Dry conditions and lower sub-surface flow would lead to q dry springs and wells, q lower water tables, and higher borehole costs q reduced yields of many water sources q. Conflicts between Lesotho and South Africa

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES ADAPTATION q. The convention provides for the developing countries to be assisted to adapt to the changing climate • Adaptation projects • Technology Transfer • Capacity Building • Finance q. There are financial mechanisms to assist the process • Least Developed Countries fund: For NAPAs in LDCs • Special climate change fund: For all developing countries, adaptation projects only • Adaptation fund: From adaptation levy on CDM ADAPTATION PROJECTS q. National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) - Completed in 2007 • Identified eleven priority areas q. Water Purification system funded by the Government of Japan

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES The NAPA process identified eleven adaptation options outlined below in their order of priority: Option 1: Improve Resilience of Livestock Production Systems Under Extreme Climatic Conditions in Various Livelihood Zones in Lesotho Option 2: Promoting Sustainable Crop Based Livelihood Systems in Foothills, Lowlands and Senqu River Valley Option 3: Capacity Building and Policy Reform to Integrate Climate Change in Sectoral Development Plans. Option 4: Improvement of an Early Warning System Against Climate Induced Disasters and Hazards. Option 5: Securing Village Water Supply for Communities in the Southern Lowlands. Option 6: Management and Reclamation of Degraded and Eroded Land in the Flood Prone Areas (Pilot Project for Western Lowlands). Option 7: Conservation and Rehabilitation of Degraded Wetlands in the Mountain Areas of Lesotho. Option 8: Improvement of Community Food Security Through the Promotion of Food Processing and Preservation Technologies. Option 9: Strengthening and stabilizing eco-tourism based rural livelihoods. Option 10: Promote Wind, Solar and Biogas Energy Use as a Supplement to Hydropower Energy. Option 11: Stabilizing Community Livelihoods which are Adversely Affected by Climate Change Through Improvement of Small Scale Industries.

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES Implementation of adaptation measures such as qwater conservation qapplication of appropriate management practices will have an important role to play in determining the impacts of climate change on water resources

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

LESOTHO METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: www. lesmet. org. ls www. unfccc. int www. ipcc. org. www. wmo. ch OPTIONS BUILDING 2 ND AND 3 RD FLOOR PIONEER ROAD CONTACT ‘MALEHLOA JOCKEY EMAIL: jockey 2001@gmail. com TEL: 22 325041/22 317250 FAX: 22 325041/22 325057