WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE?
Climate change is not simply an environmental challenge it is the greatest political, social and economic challenge that the world has ever faced. Our survival, and the survival of the magnitude of species that we share the planet with, depends on our reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and an acknowledgement of the link between energy, nature and our climate.
It is predicted that South Africa will be one of the countries worst impacted by climate change. The country can expect average temperature increases between 1 and 3°C by the mid-21st century, accompanied by an up to 30% reduction in rainfall, an increased incidence of droughts, floods and intense storms, and an up to 1m rise in sea level. The social, economic and environmental impacts of these changes in South Africa’s climate could be immense. Decreasing agricultural, forestry, livestock and fish stock yields could greatly threaten food and job security, while the collapse of South Africa’s unique ecosystems could mean extinction for many of the country’s magnificent plant and animal species and threaten the lives of those vulnerable, marginal communities who are directly dependent on natural resources for their survival.
In recognition of this imminent threat, six of South Africa’s largest conservation NGOs (CI South Africa, The Endangered Wildlife Trust, The Wilderness Foundation, The Botanical Society of SA, The Wildlife and Environment Society of SA and The Wildlands Conservation Trust) have come together to form the Climate Action Partnership (CAP). CAP is a powerful alliance that aims to slow climate change and increase the resilience of South Africa’s biodiversity and communities to the predicted changes by promoting intact ecosystems that are connected at a landscape level.
Over the past two years CAP has begun to raise public awareness around climate change issues through the media and through the Live Earth Johannesburg concert. We have developed a user-friendly carbon footprint calculator tailored to the South African situation, and have begun engaging South African businesses and government on climate change and biodiversity issues. CAP also supports a national portfolio of climate mitigation and adaptation projects. These include a major reforestation project in KwaZulu Natal, the development of a business plan for an aligned restoration project in the Eastern Cape, riverine restoration work in the karoo (habitat of the critically endangered Riverine Rabbit), and the roll out of conservation corridors in KwaZulu Natal that achieve connectivity across the landscape and allow species to move in response to climate change. CAP also fills the important role of promoting integrity among South African carbon projects by assisting with the adoption of international standards and ensuring that projects have auditable climate change benefits, as well as biodiversity and community benefits.
Innovatively, CAP believes that climate change presents an opportunity to address poverty and steer South African development in a sustainable direction. Through climate change awareness, communities have the opportunity to be educated and assisted in developing sustainable livelihoods, which are highly feasible in a country that boasts breathtaking scenery, timeless landscapes, the world-renowned “big five” game animals and large tracts of undeveloped land. Ecosystem restoration as part of climate projects is, for example, emerging as a new livelihood option for communities. Such activities provide jobs and skills while restoring natural forest ecosystems to provide a broad range of goods and services for humans, and habitat for plants and animals.
Our strength lies in our union. By working together, CAP has the reach and influence to make a difference in South Africa. Let us steer South Africa on a path of sustainable development, one that not only withstands the future effects of climate change, but uses this change as an opportunity for positive development.
Six of South Africa’s larger conservation NGOs (CI South Africa, The Endangered Wildlife Trust, The Wilderness Foundation, The Botanical Society of SA, The Wildlife and Environment Society of SA and The Wildlands Conservation Trust) have come together to form the Climate Action Partnership (CAP).
CAP is a powerful alliance that aims to reduce the impacts of climate change and increase the resilience of South Africa’s biodiversity and communities to the predicted changes by promoting intact ecosystems that are connected at a landscape level.
CAP’s Objectives:
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Raise awareness around climate change and the links between climate change and the conservation of natural habitat;
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Promote the integrity of climate change projects by promoting the adoption of globally accepted standards, with an emphasis on the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCBS);
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Advise on and support Southern African solutions for mitigation and adaptation to climate change with a biodiversity conservation outcome;
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Promote cross-sectoral policy that supports climate change mitigation and adaptation activities with a biodiversity conservation outcome;
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Achieve carbon neutral status for the head offices of the CAP partner organizations.
CAP recognizes . . .
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Climate change is among the most pervasive threats to biodiversity today, which, without action, will cause the extinction of countless species and destroy some of the world's most precious ecosystems; and
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Climate change is a major threat to South African biodiversity, particularly in the hotspots of the Succulent Karoo; Cape Floral Kingdom and the Maputoland-Pondoland Albany;
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The impact of climate change on biodiversity is a focus of CAP’s partner civil society organizations (see below) and their objectives and interests in this regard are largely compatible;
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The potential for the benefits of collaboration is greater than for the sum of the work carried out by the above-mentioned organizations individually;
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The organizations have a common desire to collaborate in the field of climate change and biodiversity conservation.
Learn More at the CAP website:
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SA CC Response Policy Even Nos