WILBERFORCE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (WJSS)
ISSN: 2504 – 9232
Volume 11, No. 1, March, 2026
Pages 97-110
DOI: 10.36108/wjss/6202.11.0180
CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER SCARCITY IN SOUTHERN AFRICAN RIVER BASINS: REGIONAL IMPLICATIONS, CHALLENGES, AND POLICY RESPONSES
Mahlakeng Khosi Mahlakeng
Department of Political and Administrative Studies, National University of Lesotho (NUL), Roma, Lesotho
and
Department of Political Studies and Governance, University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa
Abstract
Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental and developmental challenges of the twenty-first century. It is intensifying water scarcity across Southern Africa’s major river basins, including the Orange–Senqu, Limpopo, Zambezi, Okavango, Cunene, and Incomati systems. Rising temperatures, declining rainfall, and increasing drought–flood variability are disrupting hydrological cycles, reducing water availability, and threatening livelihoods dependent on agriculture, energy, and ecosystems. This paper analyses the regional impacts of climate change on these transboundary basins and evaluates the effectiveness of governance frameworks such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Revised Protocol on Shared Watercourses and basin commissions. While legal and institutional structures for cooperation exist, implementation remains constrained by financial limitations, uneven technical capacity, and weak policy integration. Therefore, strengthening integrated water resources management (IWRM), investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, enhancing data sharing and early-warning systems, and mobilizing sustainable finance for adaptation. Building climate-resilient water systems through coordinated regional action is essential for safeguarding Southern Africa’s water, food, and energy security in the face of accelerating climate change.
Keywords: Climate change, water scarcity, Southern Africa, transboundary basins, water governance, IWRM, climate adaptation