Marine and Coastal EbA for Enhanced Resilience in Southern Africa Country Review: South Africa

The report assesses South Africa's approach to marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), highlighting a strong policy framework but significant challenges in local-level implementation and funding. It emphasizes the interconnection between biodiversity, climate change, and human well-being, arguing that maintaining ecosystem integrity is primary for social resilience.

• South Africa's coastal population, comprising approximately 45% of the 58 million total population as of 2019, is highly dependent on ocean and coastal ecosystem services for food security, livelihoods, and industry.
• Sea levels are rising across the South African coast, with the highest annual rate of 2.74mm recorded on the east coast, compared to 1.87mm on the west coast and 1.47mm on the south coast.
• The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) holds primary national responsibility for EbA governance, supported by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) for research and implementation, while local authorities handle project execution.
• South Africa has established a comprehensive policy framework for EbA, including the Ecosystem-based Adaptation Strategic Framework and Overarching Implementation Plan (2017) and the Ecosystem-based Adaptation Guidelines (2018).
• Despite its vulnerability to climate change, South Africa's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) have failed to explicitly mention the need for climate-resilient ecosystems or EbA.
• EbA implementation in South Africa has historically focused more on river basin and terrestrial conservation than on marine and coastal environments, leaving vulnerable coastal groups underserved.
• Practical EbA successes include the St Lucia Estuary Rehabilitation Project, which restored natural river flow by removing artificial sand, and hybrid dune rehabilitation in the eThekwini Municipality to protect infrastructure from sea-level rise.
• Funding for EbA remains insufficient and heavily reliant on international sources such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Adaptation Fund, though the BIOFIN Biodiversity Finance Plan (2017) seeks to identify innovative local solutions.
• Institutional coordination is a major barrier to EbA effectiveness, as government departments often operate in silos, and local governments struggle with ineffective management systems and inaccessible finance.

APA

Sauka, S. (2019). Marine and Coastal EbA for Enhanced Resilience in Southern Africa Country Review: South Africa. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Eba-Special-Report-sauka.pdf

Chicago

Sauka, Siyasanga. Marine and Coastal EbA for Enhanced Resilience in Southern Africa Country Review: South Africa. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2019. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Eba-Special-Report-sauka.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sauka |first1=Siyasanga |title=Marine and Coastal EbA for Enhanced Resilience in Southern Africa Country Review: South Africa |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=November 2019 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Eba-Special-Report-sauka.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sauka2019marine, author = {Sauka, Siyasanga}, title = {{Marine and Coastal EbA for Enhanced Resilience in Southern Africa Country Review: South Africa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2019}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Eba-Special-Report-sauka.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }