SUMMARY OF MAJOR CLIMATE IMPACTS ACROSS THE THREE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS

This fact sheet from the Centre for Environmental Rights outlines projected climate impacts across three geographic areas of South Africa—Limpopo/Lephalale, Emalahleni/Mpumalanga (Highveld), and the Western Cape and coastal regions—across three timeframes from 2021 to 2100, corresponding to temperature increases of 2°C+, 3-4°C, and 4°C+.

• In the Western Cape and coastal regions, climate change is projected to cause a shift or loss of marine living resources, affecting livelihoods and tourism sectors such as whale watching and scuba-diving. Over time, coastal flooding and erosion are expected to necessitate government-mandated 'managed retreats' from shorelines as infrastructure damage becomes unaffordable. By the 2060-2100 period (4°C+), the majority of the Cape Floral Kingdom (fynbos) is predicted to disappear due to severe fires and changes in seasonal rainfall, and ports may cease to function as towns withdraw inland.
• The Limpopo/Lephalale region faces severe agricultural and social decline. Initial impacts include increased heat waves, fire risk, and reduced access to bushmeat and medicinal plants. In the 2041-2060 period (3-4°C), staple crops and livestock are projected to be no longer farmable, leading to a dependence on government support or voluntary migration. By 2060-2100 (4°C+), the area is described as largely uninhabitable due to heat and drought, with only industry (such as mining) or very wealthy individuals able to afford the necessary cooling and water infrastructure to remain.
• In the Highveld (Emalahleni/Mpumalanga), climate impacts intersect with the transition away from fossil fuels. Early projections include increased prevalence of malaria, harder manual labour due to heat, and infrastructure damage from extreme storms. By 2041-2060 (3-4°C), the phasing out of coal power and mining without transition planning is expected to cause massive unemployment. By 2060-2100 (4°C+), the closure of all coal mining and power stations is projected to spark massive social migration, while commercial agriculture becomes non-viable due to heat stress and lack of irrigation water.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). SUMMARY OF MAJOR CLIMATE IMPACTS ACROSS THE THREE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Infographic-Report.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. SUMMARY OF MAJOR CLIMATE IMPACTS ACROSS THE THREE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Infographic-Report.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=SUMMARY OF MAJOR CLIMATE IMPACTS ACROSS THE THREE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Infographic-Report.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsndsummary, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{SUMMARY OF MAJOR CLIMATE IMPACTS ACROSS THE THREE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Infographic-Report.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }