Umlibo

The report 'Umlibo' documents a community-led climate change advocacy project in Hamburg, South Africa. It centers on a 6m x 2m embroidery masterpiece created by 43 artists from the Keiskamma Art Project in collaboration with WWF South Africa. Through personal narratives, the document illustrates how climate change manifests as extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and economic instability in a vulnerable coastal community, while advocating for sustainable livelihoods and education to build resilience.

• The community of Hamburg in the Eastern Cape is experiencing diverse climate-related impacts, including unseasonal rainfall, unpredictable temperature and wind patterns, and a decline in marine species and fish stocks.
• Climate change is exacerbating existing environmental hazards in the region, specifically increasing soil erosion following unseasonal storms and threatening infrastructure, such as untarred roads, with potential washouts.
• Changes in weather patterns are disrupting traditional rural livelihoods, making crop planting unpredictable and causing livestock health issues like foot rot due to increased mud from winter rains.
• Climate change is impacting local marine biodiversity and aquaculture; increased freshwater flow into the Keiskamma River estuary has reduced salinity, causing 'swimming prawn' (Metapenaeus monoceros) to migrate and damaging oyster growth.
• There is a significant link between climate change and mental health in rural communities, where climate anxiety often compounds existing socio-economic hardships and fears regarding the safety of housing during extreme weather.
• Sustainable livelihoods, such as home food gardens and aquaculture, are presented as essential adaptation strategies to improve food security and build community resilience against climate-induced crop failures.
• A lack of community education and communication regarding renewable energy infrastructure, such as wind turbines, has led to local misunderstanding and missed opportunities to explain the benefits of transitioning away from fossil fuels.

APA

WWF South Africa (n.d.). Umlibo. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-umlibo-booklet_singles_final-web-high-res_1nov23.pdf?46623/Umlibo-Booklet

Chicago

WWF South Africa. Umlibo. n.d. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-umlibo-booklet_singles_final-web-high-res_1nov23.pdf?46623/Umlibo-Booklet.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF South Africa |title=Umlibo |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-umlibo-booklet_singles_final-web-high-res_1nov23.pdf?46623/Umlibo-Booklet |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfsouthafricandumlibo, author = {{WWF South Africa}}, title = {{Umlibo}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-umlibo-booklet_singles_final-web-high-res_1nov23.pdf?46623/Umlibo-Booklet}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }