Urban nexus and transformative pathways towards resilient cities: A case of the Gauteng City-Region, South Africa.

Challenges emanating from rapid urbanisation require innovative strategies to transform cities into global climate action and adaptation centres. We provide an analysis of the impacts of rapid urbanisation in the Gauteng City-Region, South Africa, highlighting major challenges related to (i) land use management, (ii) service delivery (water, energy, food, and waste and sanitation), and (iii) social cohesion. Geospatial techniques were used to assess spatio-temporal changes in the urban landscapes, including variations in land surface temperatures. Massive impervious surfaces, rising temperatures, flooding and heatwaves are exacerbating the challenges associated with rapid urbanisation. An outline of the response pathways towards sustainable and resilient cities is given as a lens to formulate informed and coherent adaptation urban planning strategies. The assessment facilitated developing a contextualised conceptual framework, focusing on demographic, climatic, and environmental changes, and the risks associated with rapid urbanisation. If not well managed in an integrated manner, rapid urbanisation poses a huge environmental and human health risk and could retard progress towards sustainable cities by 2030. Nexus planning provides the lens and basis to achieve urban resilience, by integrating complex, but interlinked sectors, by considering both ecological and built infrastructures, in a balanced manner, as key to resilience and adaptation strategies.

Operationalising the water-energy-food nexus through the theory of change.

The water-energy-food (WEF) nexus facilitates understanding of the intricate and dynamic interlinkages among the three resources. Its implementation can enhance resource securities and sustainable development. Despite its potential, full adoption of the approach has been hindered by a lack of actionable strategies to guide its practical application. This is attributed to (i) poor data (ii) lack of empirical evidence, (iii) inadequate analytical tools, and (iv) lack of clarity on applicable spatial scale. This study undertook a literature review, coupled with systemic analyses of a WEF nexus analytical model, whose outputs were used as a basis to develop a Theory of Change, an iterative outline for operationalising the approach in the context of southern Africa. The consultative and iterative Theory of Change culminated with the formulation of pathways to (i) overcome the barriers impeding WEF nexus operationalisation, (ii) mitigation of trade-offs while enhancing synergies towards attaining simultaneous resource securities, (iii) poverty alleviation and reduction of inequalities, and (iv) reconciling policy with implementation scale. The WEF nexus operationalisation outcomes are linked to Sustainable Development Goals 2 (zero hunger), 6 (clean water and sanitation), and 7 (affordable and clean energy), with synergies to SDGs 1 (no poverty), 5 (gender equality), 8 (decent work and economic growth), 12 (responsible consumption and production), 13 (climate action), 14 (life below water), and 15 (life on land). Operationalising the WEF nexus through an interactive process can inform sustainable pathways towards resource security, job and wealth creation, improved livelihoods and well-being, and regional integration.

The Water-Energy-Food Nexus as a Tool to Transform Rural Livelihoods and Well-Being in Southern Africa.

About 60% of southern Africa's population lives in rural areas with limited access to basic services and amenities such as clean and safe water, affordable and clean energy, and balanced and nutritious diets. Resource scarcity has direct and indirect impacts on nutrition, human health, and well-being of mostly poor rural communities. Climate change impacts in the region are manifesting through low crop yields, upsurge of vector borne diseases (malaria and dengue fever), and water and food-borne diseases (cholera and diarrhoea). This study applied a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus analytical livelihoods model with complex systems understanding to assess rural livelihoods, health, and well-being in southern Africa, recommending tailor-made adaptation strategies for the region aimed at building resilient rural communities. The WEF nexus is a decision support tool that improves rural livelihoods through integrated resource distribution, planning, and management, and ensures inclusive socio-economic transformation and development, and addresses related sustainable development goals, particularly goals 2, 3, 6 and 7. The integrated WEF nexus index for the region was calculated at 0.145, which is marginally sustainable, and indicating the region's exposure to vulnerabilities, and reveals a major reason why the region fails to meet its developmental targets. The integrated relationship among WEF resources in southern Africa shows an imbalance and uneven resource allocation, utilisation and distribution, which normally results from a 'siloed' approach in resource management. The WEF nexus provides better adaptation options, as it guides decision making processes by identifying priority areas needing intervention, enhancing synergies, and minimising trade-offs necessary for resilient rural communities. Our results identified (i) the trade-offs and unintended negative consequences for poor rural households' livelihoods of current silo approaches, (ii) mechanisms for sustainably enhancing household water, energy and food security, whilst (iii) providing direction for achieving SDGs 2, 3, 6 and 7.

Climate Change Adaptation through the Water-Energy-Food Nexus in Southern Africa.

Climate change is a complex and cross-cutting problem that needs an integrated and transformative systems approach to respond to the challenge. Current sectoral approaches to climate change adaptation initiatives often create imbalances and retard sustainable development. Regional and international literature on climate change adaptation opportunities and challenges applicable to southern Africa from a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective was reviewed. Specifically, this review highlights climate change impacts on water, energy, and food resources in southern Africa, while exploring mitigation and adaptation opportunities. The review further recommends strategies to develop cross-sectoral sustainable measures aimed at building resilient communities. Regional WEF nexus related institutions and legal frameworks were also reviewed to relate the WEF nexus to policy. Southern Africa is witnessing an increased frequency and intensity in climate change-associated extreme weather events, causing water, food, and energy insecurity. A projected reduction of 20% in annual rainfall by 2080 in southern Africa will only increase the regional socio-economic challenges. This is exacerbating regional resource scarcities and vulnerabilities. It will also have direct and indirect impacts on nutrition, human well-being, and health. Reduced agricultural production, lack of access to clean water, sanitation, and clean, sustainable energy are the major areas of concern. The region is already experiencing an upsurge of vector borne diseases (malaria and dengue fever), and water and food-borne diseases (cholera and diarrhoea). What is clear is that climate change impacts are cross-sectoral and multidimensional, and therefore require cross-sectoral mitigation and adaptation approaches. In this regard, a well-coordinated and integrated WEF nexus approach offers opportunities to build resilient systems, harmonise interventions, and mitigate trade-offs and hence improve sustainability. This would be achieved through greater resource mobilisation and coordination, policy convergence across sectors, and targeting nexus points in the landscape. The WEF nexus approach has potential to increase the resilience of marginalised communities in southern Africa by contributing towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 13).