SUWI
Welkom by Universiteit Stellenbosch

Projects

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NEPAD Southern African Network of Water Centres of Excellence.​

Stellenbosch University hosts the secretariat of the NEPAD Southern African Network of Water Centres of Excellence - a network of Higher Education- and Research institutions who conduct high-end scientific research on water and related sectors, as mandated by the African Ministers of Water and also the African Ministers of Science and Technology.

The programme receive funding from the South African Department of Science and Technology, the South African Department of Water and Sanitation, and also the African Union and European Commission. 

For more information, please visit the website at  www.nepadwatercoe.org


​​Sustainable water management for resilience to climate change impact on society in South Africa (SUWAM) ​

The primary objective is to enhance resilience to climate change impacts (CCI) on society. The chosen perspective is the water sector and impacts caused by changes in water related ecosystem services (ESS) and effects on man-made water cycle services (WCS). The primary objective will be achieved through fulfilling the following specific goals:

  • Map the current status and predicted CCI on water resources and related ESS with a focus on their impacts on society in Hessequa Municipality.

  • Describe and assess the WCS of a selected settlement with a view to the identified CCI on water resources and related ESS, in a framework integrating social, economic and environmental sustainability analyses.

  • Develop a methodology for integrated sustainability assessment that can be used as a tool in implementation of integrated water resource management (IWRM) strategies, and improve resilience to CCI on society at a local scale.

  • Build capacity on CCI and sustainable water management among public and private stakeholders, including the participating research institutions.

The project is funded through the South African National Research Foundation (NRF), and is part of a bilateral research programme between South Africa and Norway.

See: https://www.sintef.no/en/projects/suwam/​​


Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL)​​

SASSCAL will improve the capacities to provide sound science-based solutions for current problems and future risks in the region, in particular regarding climate change and the associated demands concerning land management practices of local players. To this end, the centre will contribute to strengthening existing and developing new capacities for application-oriented scientific research and science-policy consultations on climate change, adapted land-use and sustainable development in the region.

  • Adaptation to climate change impacts in mixed crop-livestock production systems in southern Africa​Agriculture

  • Integrated data base on water quality and quantity (incl. maps) for ILWRM

  • Integrated river basin assessment and modelling with aquifer integration

  • Development of a decision support system (DSS) for ILWRM

  • Hydrological and hydro-geological baseline data and modelling

  • Risk assessment and early warning systems

See: http://www.sasscal.org/index.php​


The Development and Rule of Law Programme

DROP is aimed at researching “sustainable development law and policy” focusing on reconciling the tensions between environmental sustainability, economic development, and human welfare with a holistic view of current legal, political, economic, social and cultural developments. It integrates public international law (i.e. international economic, social, and environmental law), regional and national law and policy with the goal of enhancing the rule of law around the world and reducing poverty in developing nations.

DROP promotes well-functioning national, regional and global law movements and justice institutions and projects. International organizations and national governments bound by the rule of law are essential in guaranteeing economic growth, political stability, environmental sustainability, social and just development and the eradication of poverty in the world. Any diplomatic outcomes related to sustainable development and the environment (i.e. climate change, water conflict, food security, energy safety, natural disasters etc.) will remain unimplemented without adherence to the rule of law, without open, just and dependable legal orders.

DROP intends to synthesize global knowledge relevant to the legal empowerment agenda, promote the legal empowerment agenda at national, regional and global level, assist emerging economies (i.e. BRICS) development, serves as a global networking platform and cross-fertilizes global and local experiences. It conducts research, develops and provides policy recommendations and tools that will guide policymakers in the implementation of reforms.

DROP intends to function as focal point, mainstreaming knowledge relevant to sustainable development law and research outputs from different perspectives and sciences for the benefit of prospective experts.

DROP falls under the institutional and academic control of the Dean of the Faculty of Law and enjoys institutional support from the Vice-Rector (Research and Innovation, Prof Eugene Cloete and administrative support by the Water Institute at the same University.

DROP is in full alignment to the Universities HOPE Project. It inter alia works in close cooperation with the Law Faculty’s Ciucci Centre for Law and Social Development (CLSD), the NEPAD Water Centres of Excellence Programme, the Biofuels Research Chair, the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies and the Centre of Excellence for Green Economy Transitions (CEGET), the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies, the Centre for applied Ethics (Units for Environmental Ethics, Bioethics and Business Ethics and Public Integrity, the School of Public Leadership (Sustainable Development Programme), the Africa Centre for Dispute Settlement, the Centre for Chinese Studies and the Centre for Transdisciplinarity, Sustainability, Assessment, Modelling and Analysis.​

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