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A new climate change impact synthesis report titled, “Climate change impacts in South Africa: What climate change means for a country and its people”, highlights the impacts of climate change on South Africa and the cascading effect these changes may have on people’s lives. The report was compiled by Dr. Peter Johnston, Dr Temitope Egbebiyi, Luckson Zvobogo, Dr Sabina Abba Omar, Anton Cartwright, and Prof Bruce Hewitson, climate change researchers at the University of Cape Town (UCT).
While South Africa faces many social and economic challenges, such as food insecurity and high unemployment rates, agriculture and biodiversity remain vital assets of the country. Agricultural exports and ecotourism are significant contributors to the South African economy, while small-scale farming plays a vital role in supporting a substantial portion of the population. Climate change threatens these assets with increased frequency and intensity of droughts, heat waves, and severe flooding in some parts of the country. These extreme weather events will likely damage crops and infrastructure, threatening plants and animals that attract tourism. The impacts of climate change are likely to affect livelihoods, food, and water security and ultimately increase the cost of living for South Africans.
