Wamkelekile, Welkom
Book launch: Day Zero
22 July 2019 | Story Supplied. Photo Supplied. Read time 2 min.
The launch of Day Zero – One city’s response to a record-breaking drought, by University of Cape Town (UCT) Associate Professor Gina Ziervogel and science writer Leonie Joubert, will take place on 23 July at 17:30 for 18:00 in The New Lecture Theatre, Residence Road on upper campus.
The book, which shines a spotlight on the murky business of managing a climate crisis, with particular reference to the three-year drought that hit Cape Town and had the city heading towards Day Zero when the taps would run dry, offers globally relevant lessons about climate adaptation.
Ziervogel said that although citizens often like to rely on government to provide services, it became clear during the drought that water security is everyone’s responsibility.
“Climate change adaptation cannot be the responsibility of one actor alone. Cape Town managed to avoid the taps running dry due to the remarkable collective achievement of halving water consumption.
“This was only possible to achieve through both changing citizens’ and businesses’ water-use behaviour, along with the numerous water demand management measures implemented by the city,” she said.
- Email alumnievent@uct.ac.za to secure your seat.
- The book will be available for free download from www.dayzero.org.za from 23 July while hard copies are for sale at The Book Lounge, Cape Town.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Please view the republishing articles page for more information.
Climate change
The University of Cape Town is an internationally renowned hub for climate change research and training. Our work is a strategic response to urgent knowledge and capacity needs on the African continent – climate change impacts have severe implications for economic and social development, and Africa is particularly vulnerable. Greater expertise is needed to understand the challenges and to design, evaluate and sustain solutions. Engaged research can help society innovate and support effective climate policies and strategies.
This series of articles shows how UCT researchers are working with governments, civil society and the private sector to co-produce knowledge that is impactful, moving us towards a more resilient African society.
