26/04/2021
SA News
President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated the need for SA to prioritise the reduction of emission of greenhouse gases in the global fight against climate change.
This because of the devastating impact climate change has on lives and livelihoods, he said on Monday.
In his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa made reference to the prolonged drought in parts of the Eastern, Northern and Western Cape, which have wreaked havoc.
“It caused water shortages and widespread crop failure and negatively affected both commercial and subsistence farming,” he wrote.
“This in turn had a national impact. It drove up food prices, particularly of basic staples such as maize meal, contributing to food insecurity in poor households. It affected the broader economy as the yield of key agricultural exports declined.”
SA is already vulnerable because of being a water scarce country, he said. “Understanding this cascading effect is vital. Climate change doesn’t just affect weather patterns. It affects nearly every aspect of our lives, from the food we eat to the water we drink to where we live. It affects human health, economic activity, human settlement and migration.
“Climate change does not respect borders. It is a global problem which requires global solutions.”
Among other global responses to climate change, Ramaphosa pointed to slowing the rate of global warming by significantly reducing the emission of greenhouse gases, taking steps to respond to the effects of global warming and mobilising resources to support the efforts of developing countries in particular to adapt to climate change and move towards cleaner forms of energy.
“This is important because developing countries are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change despite historically being the lowest emitters of greenhouse gases.
“Unless we act with urgency, we could find our developmental gains being reversed and our ability to overcome poverty, joblessness and inequality severely constrained.”
