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As a country grappling with severe climate impacts, South Africa faces an urgent need to reconcile its ambitious climate goals with practical action, according to the Presidential Climate Commission’s ‘State of Climate Action Report’, launched on July 25.
The country is increasingly experiencing extreme weather events like droughts, floods, and heat waves, exacerbated by a recorded 1.25°C rise in average global temperatures. These events have already inflicted significant damage, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and intensifying existing social inequalities.
Being among the most unequal countries in the world, South Africa often sees the poorest communities suffering the most from pollution and environmental degradation. Effective adaptation measures are crucial to enhancing resilience against these immediate and long-term climatic threats.
Efforts include the establishment of the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) and the adoption of a National Just Transition Framework. Public support for this transition is robust, with many believing it could alleviate issues like load shedding and reduce electricity costs.
“South Africa is often generally described as a policy-rich, implementation-poor country, and this is equally true for climate action,” the report says. Despite these commitments, a significant gap persists between policy ambitions and actual implementation. The just-transition faces several challenges, including:
Valli Moosa, deputy chair of the PCC emphasised that “strong government policies must drive a rapid response to climate change in a just manner that recognises, protects, and realises human rights and is supported by all stakeholders: businesses, civil society, labour unions, communities, and citizens“.
IOL