Southern Africa’s Dryland Forests and Climate Change Adaptation

The interior of Southern Africa faces severe climate impacts, including temperature increases of up to 6°C by 2100, which threaten dryland forests. These ecosystems, comprising Miombo and Kalahari Woodland biomes, are already degraded by land-use changes and over-use. The author argues that current SADC forestry policies are too sector-based and lack specific adaptation guidance for dryland forests. To build resilience, the document recommends a shift toward Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), full-cost accounting of natural capital, and the creation of landscape connectivity to allow species migration. It emphasizes the role of community-based management and the use of non-timber forest products as socio-economic safety nets for the millions of people dependent on these forests.

• Southern Africa's interior is projected to experience significant temperature rises, with increases of up to 3°C by mid-century and up to 6°C by 2100, leading to reduced growing days, more frequent fires, and the spread of invasive species and diseases.
• Dryland forests in the region, specifically the Miombo and Kalahari Woodland biomes, are highly vulnerable to climate change and are already suffering from degradation caused by agricultural expansion, urbanization, and extractive industries.
• Existing regional frameworks, such as the SADC Protocol on Forestry and the Forestry Strategy, are criticized for being too sector-based and failing to provide specific adaptation guidance for the unique needs of dryland forests.
• Effective adaptation requires a transition to Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), which involves restoring ecological infrastructures to maintain soil productivity, sequester carbon, and provide disaster risk reduction from extreme storms.
• To enable biodiversity to respond to climate change, policies must move beyond simple 'escape corridors' to a 'complete landscape' approach that maintains connectivity between dryland forest areas.
• Community-based management is essential for building local adaptive capacity, utilizing 'citizen-science' for monitoring, and developing alternative livelihoods such as payments for ecosystem services (PES) and agro-forestry.
• The SADC region experienced a significant net forest loss of 1.8 million hectares annually between 2005 and 2010, highlighting the need for policies that integrate adaptation with mitigation and full-cost accounting of natural capital.

APA

King, N. (2014). Southern Africa’s Dryland Forests and Climate Change Adaptation. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-91.pdf

Chicago

King, Nicholas. Southern Africa’s Dryland Forests and Climate Change Adaptation. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2014. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-91.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=King |first1=Nicholas |title=Southern Africa’s Dryland Forests and Climate Change Adaptation |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=May 2014 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-91.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{king2014southern, author = {King, Nicholas}, title = {{Southern Africa’s Dryland Forests and Climate Change Adaptation}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2014}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-91.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }