Radar altimeters

Translated by: Isabel Zetina 

On a sweltering summer day along the banks of the Mekong River, villagers in Laos watched nervously as water levels fell dramatically. Upstream, hydropower dams in China had altered the river’s flow, leaving communities downstream scrambling for water to irrigate crops, sustain fisheries, and meet drinking needs. This scene is far from unique. Across the world, transboundary rivers are flashpoints of tension, where one country’s energy or agricultural ambitions can ripple downstream, affecting millions of people (UNESCO 2023). Global water stress is escalating at an unprecedented pace.

Africa is endowed with abundant freshwater resources. It has sufficient rainfall and relatively low levels of water withdrawals for three major uses: domestic, agricultural and industrial uses. Changes in Africa’s water resources has been noticed transpiring in changes in water flow and variability, falling groundwater levels, changes in rainfall levels and timing, strongly influenced under climate change. The continent has a huge potential for energy production through hydropower.

Africa is endowed with abundant freshwater resources. It has sufficient rainfall and relatively low levels of water withdrawals for three major uses: domestic, agricultural and industrial uses. Changes in Africa’s water resources has been noticed transpiring in changes in water flow and variability, falling groundwater levels, changes in rainfall levels and timing, strongly influenced under climate change. The continent has a huge potential for energy production through hydropower.

Translated by: Isabel Zetina