CLIMATE CHANGE South Africa’s climate change focus needs to be led by the recognition that the effects are only going to get worse. By Trevor Crighton
W
hile not a direct response to the recent catastrophic flooding in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, the recent flurry of activity around climate change by government has certainly thrown into sharp relief the fact that, while South Africa has long been participating in global climate change response, the need for action on the ground is more immediate. “There needs to be more research into whether climate change is directly responsible for the recent floods. However, all the models show that as the system heats up, we are going to see more of these kinds of floods, more frequently and at greater magnitude,”
says Professor Coleen Vogel, climatologist and adaptation and sustainability specialist. Professor Brett Cohen, director of The Green House and honorary professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Cape Town, says that the country is committing to playing its part in the global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He adds that achieving these commitments should remain a focus. “A ton of CO2 produced in South Africa has the same effect on the environment as a ton of CO2 produced in Europe or China. Therefore, we need to put systems in place to adapt our practices so that they work for both the local and global good.”
“We need to put systems in place to adapt our practices so that they work for both the local and global good.” – Professor Brett Cohen
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Prof Coleen Vogel
TRICKLE-DOWN POLICY Vogel says that South Africa has a two-pronged approach to managing climate change – mitigation and adaptation. “Mitigation seeks to reduce CO2 and other emissions, and adaptation deals with understanding how we live with the inevitability of climate change,” she says.
ISSUE 39
2022/06/30 3:54 PM
