Abstract
This chapter focuses on the effect of climate change on the urban population in Zimbabwe with particular focus on the capital city of Harare and its environs. Its purpose is to show how the phenomenon of climate change has over the years become a major threat to human security in this city and its surroundings in particular, and in Zimbabwe in general. The chapter shows how climate change has been intensifying over the years, and how this development has resulted in increased and more intense episodes of pollution, flooding, deforestation, drought and shortage of water. It also demonstrates how changes in climate have exacerbated urban poverty. Urban agriculture, in particular, has been badly affected, robbing residents of a major survival strategy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
ZANU (PF) has ruled the country since Independence from Britain in 1980, until the formation of the inclusive government with the two formations of the MDC party in early 2009.
- 2.
Nutrient pollution, which may promote excessive plant growth and decay, weedy species, and hence reducing quality of water (Tsiko 2007).
- 3.
ZESA (Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority) is the national electricity utility.
- 4.
Lake Chivero also supplies water to residents of the dormitory town of Chitungwiza, as well as surrounding peri-urban areas.
- 5.
Zimbabwe has lost an unprecedented number of professionals, often trained at a great expense to the country, including doctors, engineers, lawyers, chemists, etc. By 2003, 60% of trained professionals had left the country (Sparks 2003). The numbers have continued to skyrocket.
- 6.
ZINWA has over the years been solely responsible for water affairs in Zimbabwe’s urban areas, an arrangement bitterly opposed by residents in many urban areas. Apparently, there are moves to transfer the responsibility from ZINWA back to local authorities because ZINWA has struggled to deliver.
- 7.
In September 2009, the author noticed that work had started in the city of Harare to replace some ageing underground pipes. It could not be established, however, whether this was part of a bigger programme to upgrade the entire water and sewer systems.
References
APINA (2003) Air pollution information network – Africa. Country fact sheet, Zimbabwe. Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Harare, pp 1–2
Chipindu B (n.d.a.) The status of air pollution in Zimbabwe. Department of Physics, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe (Unpublished paper)
Chiremba T (2009a) Zesa in trouble. The Sunday Mail (14 June 2009):1
Chiremba T (2009b) ZINWA workers face disciplinary action. The Sunday Mail (14 June 2009):4
Cochrane M (2009) Northern Namibia swamped as river bursts banks. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), Southern Africa
CRU (Climate Research Unit) and WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature). (n.d.a.) Climate change scenarios for Zimbabwe
CYP (Commonwealth Youth Programme) (n.d.a.). Sustainable development and environmental issues. Commonwealth Youth Programme, Module 13. University of Botswana, Gabarone
DailGreen.com (n.d.a.) 1 million acres of trees destroyed in Zimbabwe. http://dailygreen.com/environmental news/latest6038. Accessed 25 May 2009
Donnelly J (2004) Zimbabwe woes spill across border. ZW News (2 March 2004):2
GoZ (Government of Zimbabwe) (2008) Zimbabwe: plant trees to curb deforestation. The Herald (31 Dec 2008):7
IESC (2009) Climate change. International Environmental Exchange Centre. www.international/profs.org/iesc/climate-change-2html. Accessed 25 May 2009
Kaseke E, Gumbo P (2001) Landlessness and farm invasions in Zimbabwe: lessons for social workers practicing community work. Reg Dev Stud 7:79–86
Kisner C (2008) Urban agriculture case study: Harare, Zimbabwe. In: Green roofs for food Âsecurity and environmental sustainability, Climate Institute, Chicago, IL
Lane J (2007) Zimbabwe deforestation concerns mount as oil prices force villagers to burn wood for fuel; biofuels seen as solution. Daily Biofuels Digest Newsl (18 Sept 2007)
Mbiba B (1998) Urban agriculture in Harare: between suspicion and repression. In City Case Study, Harare, pp 285–301
Mongabay.com (n.d.a.) Zimbabwe deforestation rates and related forestry figures. http://rainforests.mongabay.com/deforestation/2008/Zimbabwe.htm. Accessed 23 May 2009
Moyo A (2009) Move to alley fears of embarrassing blackouts at Victoria Falls because of power rationing. ZimOnline (28 May 2009):2
Moyo A (2009b) Hwange station down…as Zesa fails to pay for coal. The Sunday Mail (14 June 2009):B2
Mtisis S (2008) Promoting water quality laws enforcement and implementation in Zimbabwe urban areas. In: Proceedings of the International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE), Cape Town, pp 505–513, 5–11 Apr 2008
Mudimu G (2001) The political economy of urban agriculture in Zimbabwe. In: Proceedings of the MDP/IDRC Workshop on the Political Economy of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture in East and Southern Africa, held at Bronte Hotel. Harare, 28 Feb – 2 March 2001
Mupedziswa R (2009) Modelling leadership responses to HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa. In: Fombad C, Mupedziswa R, Mookodi G, Maundeni T (eds) AIDS, human rights and development in Botswana. Made Plain Communications Publishing, Cape Town, pp 104–134
Nyathi S (2009) Climate change is serious – Govt. The Zimbabwean (18–24 June 2009):17
Rekacewicz P (2002) Climate change in Zimbabwe: trends in temperature and rainfall. http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/climate_change_in_zimbabwe_trends_in_temperature_and_rainfall. Accessed 19 May 2009
Russell J (2008) Zimbabwe: country at risk of climate change effects (Email correspondence, 22 May 2008)
Shauri V (2002) Protecting the urban environment through litigation and advocacy in Southern Africa. Workshop on Protecting Africa’s Urban Environment held at Mandel Training Centre, Harare, 5–7 June 2002
Shoko B (2009) Harare water woes worsen. The Standard (23 May 2009):3
Sparks A (2003) Saving Zimbabwe’s sick economy. The Star (7 May):2
Srinivas S (2008) Climate change. International Environmental Science Centre. www.internationalprofs.org/iesc/climate-change.html. Accessed 25 May 2009
The Herald (2008) Deforestation damage to Harare water (7 Feb 2008):5
Tsiko S (2007) Lake Chivero: a polluted lake. The Herald (15 Jan 2007):5
UNDP, UNEP, & World Bank (1997) Photovoltaics for household and community use – Zimbabwe. Global Environment Facility
UNEP/GRID (n.d.a.) Vital climate graphics Africa. www.grida.no/publications/vg/africa. Accessed 16 March 2009
ZELA (2009) Urban environment programme. Zimbabwe Environmental Review Association. http://www.zela.org/site/urban/%Environment%20programme.asp. Accessed 16 March 2009
Ziyomo C (2009). Reality of climate change: to see its effect, look at Zimbabwe. Accessed 16 October 2009
Zvigadza S (2008) Climate change vulnerability mapping: the case of the city of Harare, Zimbabwe. Paper presented at Cities and climate change workshop, Sheraton Hotel, Poznan, Poland, 5 Dec 2008
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mupedziswa, R. (2011). Climate Change and Its Effect on Urban Housing and Liveable Cities: The Case of Harare, Zimbabwe. In: Yuen, B., Kumssa, A. (eds) Climate Change and Sustainable Urban Development in Africa and Asia. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9867-2_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9867-2_14
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-9866-5
Online ISBN: 978-90-481-9867-2
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)