Climate extremes underscore why South Africa must act now

A statement by WWF South Africa arguing that the country must urgently accelerate climate mitigation and adaptation efforts due to increasing extreme weather events and high per-capita emissions.

• South Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change, with projections indicating more intense rainfall in the east and longer, more protracted droughts in the west. Recent impacts include widespread fires in the Western Cape, intense flooding in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, drought in the Karoo, and a potential water crisis along the Garden Route, resulting in loss of life, displacement, and economic costs totaling billions of rand.
• Despite having solid policies, South Africa has made little progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and virtually no progress in preparing for climate impacts. While the Climate Change Act of 2024 mandates a national adaptation plan involving 21 government departments and all metropolitan and district municipalities, this section of the Act has not yet commenced, creating a significant implementation lag.
• The energy sector accounts for nearly 80% of South Africa's national emissions, and the country's per-capita emissions are well above the global average. The Department of Electricity and Energy is developing an Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) to map future options, which WWF argues is the most critical component for national development.
• WWF's Illustrative People’s Energy Plan suggests it is feasible for South Africa to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by mid-century. This approach would simultaneously increase energy sector employment, improve public transport, and increase the free basic electricity allocation for all households while supporting developmental growth.
• On the international stage, South Africa declined an invitation in November to join the "Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels" (TAFF) roadmap. However, an independent conference on TAFF convened by Colombia in April is identified as an opportunity for South Africa to participate in a global transition plan.

APA

WWF South Africa (n.d.). Climate extremes underscore why South Africa must act now. https://www.wwf.org.za/our_news/opinion/?57648/Climate-extremes-underscore-why-South-Africa-must-act-now

Chicago

WWF South Africa. Climate extremes underscore why South Africa must act now. n.d. https://www.wwf.org.za/our_news/opinion/?57648/Climate-extremes-underscore-why-South-Africa-must-act-now.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=WWF South Africa |title=Climate extremes underscore why South Africa must act now |url=https://www.wwf.org.za/our_news/opinion/?57648/Climate-extremes-underscore-why-South-Africa-must-act-now |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{wwfsouthafricandclimate, author = {{WWF South Africa}}, title = {{Climate extremes underscore why South Africa must act now}}, publisher = {WWF South Africa}, url = {https://www.wwf.org.za/our_news/opinion/?57648/Climate-extremes-underscore-why-South-Africa-must-act-now}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }