Sharing water to avert a climate disaster

It’s hard to believe but some people in Northern Europe are actually happy about climate change. It’s brought warm winters and less rain to their part of the world. But that attitude is unlikely to be found in the South African metropolis of Johannesburg. The city and the province of Gauteng are facing steadily rising temperatures and more dry spells that threaten to become a climate catastrophe. But that could be averted thanks to Lesotho. The small kingdom next door diverts water from the Orange river, sending it across 300 kilometers all the way to Johannesburg, with hydroelectricity plants generating energy from the process.

Reporter Jürgen Schneider introduces us to the “Lesotho Highlands Water Project” that aims to make water systems more efficient while providing an important source of income for the small enclave state. But is it too good to be true? In our background article, reporter Martin Reeh sheds light on the project’s disadvantages and its critics but also the opportunities it offers.