Climate-proofing SA

10-year plan on how to build the country’s resilience

EXTREME weather is on the rise, heatwave conditions are more likely, dry spells are lasting longer and the intensity of rainfall is increasing.

South Africa, says the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, is experiencing significant effects of climate change, particularly from increased temperatures and rainfall variability.

Climate zones are “already shifting, ecosystems and landscapes are being degraded, fires are becoming more frequent and overused natural terrestrial and marine systems are under stress”.

“The observed rate of warming has been 2ºC per century or even higher – more than twice the global rate of temperature increase for the western parts and the northeast.”

The 82-page document, which was approved by the Cabinet last week, provides a “common vision” of climate change adaptation and building climate resilience.

The 10-year plan, which will be reviewed every five years, fulfils the

country’s commitment to its international obligations under the Paris Agreement.

Among its leading messages is that South Africa needs to adapt to climate change.

“Sustained warming and increasing rainfall variability over the short to medium term (the next 20 to 30 years) will have increasingly adverse effects on key sectors of the economy in the absence of effective adaptation responses,” reads the document.

Different areas, natural systems, sectors, and communities will be impacted in different ways, with some being more vulnerable than others.

The country’s poor are being the hardest hit, “as they will be more exposed to the impacts and have fewer resources to cope with these impacts”.

“Climate change is predicted to result in further widening of the gap between the rich and poor.

Climate change impacts are however, already happening in South Africa with increased storms, drought conditions and temperature increases being felt across different parts of the country.”

Adaptation presents the country with an “opportunity to transform” health and the economy, to strengthen the social and spatial fabric, and become more competitive in the global marketplace.

“However, systemic changes are required to minimise the impacts of climate change.”

New funding flows to support adaptation represent the biggest acceleration of development investment since the achievement of democracy.

“This provides a unique opportunity to ensure climate resilience and achieve development aspirations.”

A common reference point is needed to help align efforts across the country.

“This document is intended to be the cornerstone for climate change adaptation in the country and to reflect a unified, coherent, cross-sectoral, economy-wide approach to climate change adaptation.”

Finance set aside for development needs to incorporate climate change so infrastructure and communities are resilient to future climate impacts.

“Furthermore, climate change needs to be mainstreamed into budgetary processes in all spheres of government.”

Priority adaptation related sectors previously identified are water, agriculture and commercial forestry, health, biodiversity and ecosystems, human settlements (urban,rural and coastal), and disaster risk reduction and management.

“However, it is becoming more apparent that these sectors are not the only ones to be affected by climate change in South Africa.”

Climate change needs to be mainstreamed into all government spheres National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy