Can we shield South Africa from climate change?
The country could become an apocalyptic wasteland if it fails to take future-proofing seriously. Current crises such as water shortages and load-shedding exist because we ignored the initial warning signs — as we are doing with the environment
09 March 2023 - 05:00
In recent years, railway beds in the UK have melted from extreme heat, electricity grids have frozen in Texas, and Europe has ground to a halt as a result of catastrophic flooding. In South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) was hit by severe flooding in 2017, 2019 and again in 2022. The most recent event was the worst in the country’s history.
Global temperatures have already risen 1.1°C relative to pre-industrial levels, and the scientific consensus is that further warming is inevitable. The harm is expected to become exponentially worse if global temperatures increase beyond 1.5°C, as seems likely. ..
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.