Development and uptake of scenarios to support water resources planning, development and management: examples from South Africa

Abstract

The international agenda on water resources development reflects societal needs, political agendas, economic realities and the state of resources. The industrial revolution, which started in the 18th century, brought social and economic prosperity but also marked a major shift in humanity’s impact on the earth’s systems. This shift is now referred to as the Anthropocene, where humans have brought such vast and unprecedented changes to the planet that this era represents a new geological time interval. Societal needs have shifted since the 1940s from a need for modest food production to a need for increased agricultural productivity that has been met by high yield crops, the use of pesticides, the application of fertiliser and advanced agricultural techniques. This development has averted food shortages, but has also resulted in humanity having to pay a heavy price in terms of increased water use and energy consumption, as well as environmental degradation.