South Africa Seeks Climate Resilience Amid Worsening Climate Change

In the face of devastating floods in the Western Cape and heavy rains in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasized the need for the country to become more climate resilient. The President’s remarks came during his weekly newsletter, where he highlighted the economic and social impacts of climate change.

The Western Cape has been ravaged by destructive floods over the past week, leaving thousands homeless, while Kwa-Zulu Natal faced the heaviest rains in over 50 years in 2022, resulting in at least 300 deaths and significant damage to infrastructure.

Ramaphosa stressed that climate change is not only a humanitarian issue but also an economic one, affecting industries such as agriculture, tourism, mining, and manufacturing. The increasing frequency of disasters also has a significant impact on public finances, reducing economic growth and tax revenues while increasing expenditure on disaster relief and social support.

To address these challenges, the President announced the Climate Resilience Symposium, a critical meeting of minds to discuss the country’s climate actions. The symposium brings together representatives from government, industry, academia, civil society, and climate experts to scale up climate action across the economy and society.

South Africa is already implementing policies and programs to adapt to and mitigate the impact of climate change. The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme has been a success, attracting over R209 billion in investment and adding much-needed capacity to the electricity grid.

The Just Energy Transition Investment Plan aims to drive huge investments in the electricity grid, green hydrogen, electric vehicles, economic diversification, and skills development. The country is also exploring opportunities to meet its emissions reduction targets in industries like mining, green hydrogen production, and electric vehicle manufacturing.

Ramaphosa noted that the South African economy’s carbon intensity has become unsustainable, citing the need for decarbonization. He emphasized that building the economy’s resilience must be informed by both national and global realities, including the country’s obligations under the Paris Agreement to Combat Climate Change.

The President warned that the increasing frequency of extreme weather events is a stark reminder that the country must accelerate its efforts to address climate change. He called for the use of fiscal policy to support the response to climate change shocks and to advance the just transition to a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economy.

In a final appeal, Ramaphosa emphasized the need for developed economies to support the efforts of developing economies to meet their climate goals, citing the historical responsibility of developed countries for climate change. He emphasized the importance of international cooperation and collaboration to address the global challenge of climate change.