Droughts, Inequality, and Urban Crisis: Dr. Rusca on Climate Change and Its Impact

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Rusca, an expert in environmental and social sciences, to discuss the social-environmental implications of climate change-induced droughts in urban areas of Southern Africa. Dr. Rusca draws upon the theoretical insights from critical social sciences to build a scenario predicting the impacts of an unprecedented drought in Maputo. This city epitomizes the highly uneven development and differential vulnerability found across urban areas in Southern Africa. She takes us through a comparative analysis, drawing lessons from Cape Town's experience during the 2015-2017 drought, which was locally unprecedented in Southern Africa.Dr. Rusca elucidates her findings that future droughts in Southern Africa are likely to further polarize urban inequalities, lead to localized public health crises, and undo the progress made in water access. The conversation navigates the complex intersection of climate change, social power dynamics, and economic visions, highlighting how these factors shape societal responses to droughts.This discussion is not just a prediction of the challenging times to come but a call to action. Dr. Rusca stresses that climate policies must acknowledge and address these inequalities, with a focus on developing equitable water distribution and conservation measures. This will be crucial to ensuring sustainable and inclusive adaptation to future droughts.Join us for this enlightening episode as Dr. Rusca gives us a profound understanding of the intricate relationship between climate change, urban development, and social inequities. Tune in for a critical discussion on the future of Southern African cities in the face of intensifying droughts.Unprecedented droughts are expected to exacerbate urban inequalities in Southern Africa https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01546-8Maria Rusca (She/her)Lecturer in Global DevelopmentSchool of Environment, Education, and DevelopmentUniversity of Manchester