Climate Change Implications for SA’s Youth

This expert report by Nicholas King, commissioned by the Centre for Environmental Rights, analyzes the projected physical, socio-economic, and ecological impacts of climate change on youth and future generations in South Africa from 2021 through 2060 and beyond. It argues that under current 'business as usual' trajectories, large portions of the country may become uninhabitable, leading to systemic collapses in food and water security, infrastructure, and mental wellbeing.

• South Africa is projected to face severe physical and ecological disruptions under all emission scenarios, including extreme heat stress, sea-level rise, and more frequent extreme weather events such as storms, flooding, and droughts. These impacts are expected to follow an 'ever-steepening curve' rather than a linear progression, potentially rendering vulnerable coastal areas and large parts of the interior uninhabitable.
• Climate change is expected to severely compromise water and food security. Increasing drought and heat stress will likely collapse crop production and kill livestock, while freshwater scarcity will likely trigger conflicts both within South Africa and with neighboring countries over shared river-basin resources. These conditions will disproportionately affect children, particularly girls, who may miss schooling due to increased time spent fetching water.
• Public and private infrastructure is predicted to suffer continuous damage from extreme events, leading to a decline in the delivery of essential services such as electricity, water, health, and education. In coastal regions, rising sea levels and storm surges will likely inundate infrastructure and cause property values to collapse as insurance becomes unavailable for properties below new setback lines.
• The report highlights profound risks to the mental and emotional wellbeing of youth, driven by 'climate-induced migration' and the breakdown of social ties. As livelihoods collapse, mass migration to urban informal settlements is expected to increase, potentially fueling xenophobia and violence, while the inability of parents to provide for children will induce significant trauma.
• Regional analysis indicates specific vulnerabilities: the Western Cape faces the collapse of viticulture and tourism; Limpopo and Lephalale may see the total failure of rain-fed agriculture and rangeland grazing; and Mpumalanga faces the dual threat of tropical cyclones and socio-economic upheaval from the 'coal-death-spiral' as the country transitions away from fossil fuels.
• The financial burden of climate-related disaster relief is expected to overwhelm the South African state's fiscal resources. The report notes that drought relief fund allocations across the country totaled R990m over a five-year period, with an additional R138m in current allocations, illustrating the rising costs of response and rebuilding.

APA

King, N. (2021). Climate Change Implications for SA’s Youth. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Annexure-A-Nick-King-Report-Final.pdf?x21779

Chicago

King, Nicholas. Climate Change Implications for SA’s Youth. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2021. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Annexure-A-Nick-King-Report-Final.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=King |first1=Nicholas |title=Climate Change Implications for SA’s Youth |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |date=26 August 2021 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Annexure-A-Nick-King-Report-Final.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{king2021climate, author = {King, Nicholas}, title = {{Climate Change Implications for SA’s Youth}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2021}, month = aug, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Annexure-A-Nick-King-Report-Final.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }