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NAMIBIA: AN ANCIENT LAND Fragile and vulnerable
Namibia ranks amongst the most arid countries in sub-Saharan Africa and is subjected to periodic droughts that can last for years. The erratic rainfall poses a constant threat to food security and agriculture which is an important economic activity and a major employer.
The country is, therefore, very vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The question arises: how aware are Namibians of climate change? A recent survey conducted by local research company Survey Warehouse for Afrobarometer, a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network, found that only 45% of Namibians have heard of climate change.
Although people living in rural areas are most vulnerable to climate change, the survey found that only 35% of respondents living in rural areas are aware of climate change, compared to 52% of respondents living in urban areas. Half of the respondents (50%) with no lived poverty are familiar with the term ‘climate change’, compared to 38% with high lived poverty.
Asked about the effects of climate change, almost half of the respondents who are aware of climate change said it is making life in Namibia worse. Surprisingly, nearly a third (31%) said it has made life better, while 16% said it has had no effect on their lives.
With regard to a question on fighting climate change, 71% of those who are aware of climate change said they agreed or strongly agreed that ordinary citizens can help to curb climate change. Two-thirds of the respondents said they want the government to take immediate action to limit climate change – even if it is expensive, causes job losses, or takes a toll on the economy.
With its wide open spaces, wildlife and diversity of scenery, Namibia is one of the top tourist destinations in Africa. The tourism industry is one of main contributors to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as well as a major employer. Environmental degradation could, however, affect the industry adversely and the survey also explored Namibians’ experiences and perceptions of pollution and environmental governance.
Asked about the extent of pollution, 67% said pollution is a “somewhat serious” or “very serious” problem in their community. Trash and plastic disposal, deforestation and human waste disposal were identified as the most important environmental issues. Just over two-thirds (67%) of the respondents want the government to ban the production and use of plastic bags.
On the question of who should be primarily responsible for reducing pollution and keeping communities clean, 60% of Namibians said it rests with local citizens. Only 12% said it is the responsibility of the national government, while 17% said it is the responsibility of their local government.
Mining is one of the pillars of Namibia’s economy and accounts on average for around 50% of the country’s total exports. At the same time, the sector can have serious negative impacts on Namibia’s fragile environment.
With an unemployment rate of 33% it is not surprising that nearly half (49%) of Namibians “agree” or “strongly agree” that overall, the benefits that natural resource extraction brings to communities, such as jobs and revenue, outweigh negative impacts such as pollution. Only about half as many (29%) disagree with thisstatement. On the upside, 70% of the respondents want the government to regulate the industry more tightly to reduce the negative impact of natural resource extraction on the environment.
These views of Namibians on climate change, pollution and the environment and resource extraction are in some ways encouraging, but in other ways concerning. It nevertheless provides important insights into these important issues.
Willie Olivier
