Climate Change In South Africa

While climate change is perceived to be universal phenomenon, its effects are felt at regional and local levels which are the scales where adaptation and mitigation is expected to take place. It is therefore indispensable to identify the impacts of climate change at localised scales in order to develop relevant adaptation and mitigation strategies (Water Research Commission, 2010). Both the national climate change response plan white paper and the Long Term Adaptation Scenario (LTAS) flagship project for South Africa concedes that there is great certainty concerning Climate change and its impacts are quantifiable. Both studies concurs that South Africa is especially vulnerable to its impacts and it is therefore the main environmental concern

The observed global average of 0.65∘C over the past five decades and extreme rainfall events have increased in frequency (DEA, 2013). As result of the socioeconomic and the environmental background, South Africa is extremely vulnerable and exposed to the impacts of climate change. It is the poor communities that will be affected severely by climate variability, including the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. In terms of water availability, South Africa is regarded as the water-stressed country with a projected future of drying trends and weather variability coupled by cycles of droughts and abrupt excessive rains. (DEA, 2011)

In South Africa, climate change is projected to cause increased precipitation in areas that receive orographic rainfall in the north east and the south eastern coastal areas. According to the Water Research Commission (WRC), the other parts of the country encompassing the interior and the western coastal part of the country that largely receives convective rainfall is projected to experience a decrease in rainfall. Impact of climate change on stream flow is also expected to differ in response to changing rainfall. (Water Research Commission,

The province is basically affected through water availability and it is perceived to be very much important to study climate change impacts with special focus on water as changes in water directly affects mining and agriculture-the two backbone of the economy of North West Province (READ, 2015).

The LTAS project report put forward that the region within which North West province is located is expected to face a possible increase in temperatures by as much as 2.5°C by 2035, and 1-3°C between 2040 and 2060 and by 3-6.5°C between 2080 and 2100 (DEA, 2013; READ, 2015). This projection will have a dire consequence on both agriculture, human settlement and human health. Notably, temperature increases is one of the key challenges of North West Province.

2.6 DR RSM DISTRICT CLIMATE CHANGE OBSERVED AND PROJECTED