Where Does Water Lie in the Face of Climate Change?

Baffour Gyimah Kwame Owusu 28 May 2024

Water scarcity, exacerbated by climate change, has become a pressing issue globally. Water is indispensable, and it confirms why it is featured in almost every philanthropic catalogue and the UN sustainable development goals. One subject the world cannot be silent about; is the kernel and the essence of life.

UN-Water, in their proclamation, contends that 2.3 million inhabitants inhabit land areas predisposed to water stress. Niger, a country synonymous with this premise, lies within the Sahel, susceptible to drought and desertification.

In the haze of abounding greenhouse gases hovering in the atmosphere, the stipulations for countries like Niger severely aggravate, and countries outside this countenance are not exempt. Regardless, countries that bask along the desert regions take a severe downward plunge; the heat grows intense, long droughts are observed and destruction of the ecology becomes the order of the day.

Climate change has strong tentacles that reach every resource, and water abounds in this entanglement. From the assertions of the UN, climate change is aggravating water resources, and the elevation of temperatures affects the precipitation cycle and all water flows. The level of evaporation is high, and there are no significant downpours to rectify this loss.

Northern Ghana is reminiscent of Niger; they experience the warmest temperatures in Ghana. This precinct is currently plunging into a water crisis, owing to the delayed rain. This plight has caused rivers and lakes to dry up in these areas, compelling inhabitants to cover several distances to find water.

Reports garnered by Africa Matters unveiled the impact of climate change in Northern Ghana. Inhabitants of this area trek several miles under the staunch heat to get water. Conversely, others go through the toil of digging the grounds before they reach a fountain of water. This has birthed brooding days and nights in Nanumba North District. Water accessed by the multitude is turbid and predisposed to bacterial infection. The spread of cholera and typhoid among civilians canvasses the effectiveness of their conventional purification remedies.

Dams built by the government with the intent of water storage barely survived the tentacles of climate change. Government efforts to address water scarcity, such as building 500 dams for water storage, have proven futile in the face of climate change. Existing infrastructure struggles to cope with evolving weather patterns, leaving communities vulnerable to water shortages and related hardships. Children are casualties of this situation, sacrificing their school hours to search for water.

Obliquely, water scarcity has its traces on nourishment and sustenance. Animals are perishing, and farmers are forced out of the agricultural business owing to water scarcity. Several regions mirror these disparities or even worse, and children and women become the predominant proxies of these situations. As highlighted throughout this article, communities worldwide are already experiencing the devastating impacts of dwindling water resources, from compromised health and livelihoods to environmental degradation and socio-economic upheaval.

Climate change has entrenched itself in our society; it demands adaptive and sustainable measures to coexist with this phenomenon. Education and awareness campaigns become pertinent at this phase, to promote water conservation practices at the individual, community, and industrial levels. Capacity-building initiatives should be implemented to enhance the resilience of vulnerable communities to water scarcity and climate change. This could involve providing training on water management techniques, sharing best practices, and facilitating knowledge exchange between different regions facing similar challenges.

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