People's lives have been disrupted by climate change and the National Dialogue is the platform to raise this. Photo: File
Over the past four years, regions like the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have endured catastrophic flooding, resulting in loss of life, destruction of homes and damage to infrastructure. The National Dialogue provides a platform to address the pressing environmental problems that confront our nation.
The dialogue aims to foster unity, address problems and shape South Africa’s future through inclusive conversations. It will involve various sectors of society, including government, political parties, civil society, business, labour and local leaders.
It is imperative that we seize this opportunity to hold the government accountable in charting a course for a more sustainable and resilient future. The frequency and severity of climate-induced disasters have underscored a glaring gap in our preparedness and response mechanisms. Local governments, despite their best efforts, have struggled to implement effective adaptation strategies and early warning systems. Yet, without the proper capacity, budgeting and planning, local governments are going to continue to fail their citizens.
In May, the portfolio committee on cooperative governance and traditional affairs issued a media statement expressing concern over the continued failure of municipal interventions to deliver lasting improvements, and called for the strengthening of early warning systems. By prioritising climate resilience and adaptation at the local level, the government can facilitate the enhancement of its capacity to respond to future emergencies, safeguarding lives and livelihoods in the process.
The National Dialogue is an ideal forum to foster understanding and collaboration among all stakeholders in addressing climate change. Stakeholders must call for the remaining provisions of the Climate Change Act to be enacted swiftly.
In this context, the role of the National Dialogue cannot be overstated. This situation calls for a robust, coordinated response from the national government, led by the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment, which is responsible for developing enabling legislation and regulation at national level. Support should come from others such as the department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs, which co-ordinates responses at provincial and local level; the treasury, which must allocate sufficient budget for investments in disaster preparedness, infrastructure and capacity building; and local people, whose knowledge can be integrated across agencies to strengthen early warning systems.
A study in 2024 explored how indicators developed by people in the Joe Morolong local municipality, Northern Cape, are used to predict natural hazards to complement meteorological seasonal climate and weather forecasts. These methods, refined over generations, offer localised, trusted and contextually relevant early warning systems that enhance disaster preparedness. A coordinated, multi-disciplinary response that incorporates both scientific and local knowledge systems is urgently needed.
Moreover, it is crucial to address the broader systemic issues that exacerbate vulnerability to climate change. This includes re-evaluating our relationship with the fossil fuel industries, which continue to operate in ways that may contravene our international commitments, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
The recent advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) underscores the need for decisive action in this regard. Presenting the 133-page document in The Hague, the ICJ president, Yūji Iwasawa, clarified that a state’s failure to take appropriate action to protect the climate system from greenhouse gas emissions, including through the production and consumption of fossil fuels, the granting of fossil fuel exploration licences or the provision of fossil fuel subsidies, “may constitute an international wrongful act which is attributable to that state”
By curbing the operations of fossil fuel companies and promoting sustainable energy solutions, South Africa can align its national policies with global environmental standards. All it takes is political will.
To move forward, the government, through the forestry, fisheries and the environment department, must prioritise comprehensive climate strategies at the local level through robust adaptation regulations that integrate local input and scientific expertise. This approach will not only enhance South Africa’s adaptive capacity but also demonstrate its commitment to fulfilling its international obligations as articulated by the recent draft of the nationally determined contributions (NDC) available for comment. Early indications show that the latest draft demonstrates much higher ambition than the 2021 NDC, particularly in stricter mitigation targets, strengthened legal and policy mechanisms (for example, the Climate Change Act) and more advanced integration of a just transition framework.
By doing so, South Africa can position itself as a leader in climate action, paving the way for a more equitable and resilient future.
The National Dialogue represents a moment for South Africans to articulate their experiences of the effects of climate change, through open and honest discussions with the state and other stakeholders, with the objective of developing a “whole of society” approach to mitigating and adapting to climate change.
Allan Basajjasubi is a senior programme officer for the Affirming Rights Stream at Natural Justice.