Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy has welcomed the report by Working Group II as part of the sixth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), saying it is an important contribution to enhancing scientific understanding of climate change and the impacts, adaptation and vulnerability that must inform international policy at the twenty-seventh session of the conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP27, in Egypt, in November.

The assessment report, released on February 28, is the second in a series of reports to be adopted under the IPCC sixth assessment cycle. In March, the IPCC will release the next report on dealing with mitigation of climate change, and finally, a synthesis report of the key findings of all three reports will be released later in the year.

One of the Working Group II co-chairs is South African scientist and local government practitioner Dr Debra Roberts.

“[Roberts] summarised the key message of this large report by stating that the message from the Working Group II report is clear and the scientific evidence is unequivocal. Climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss the brief, rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future. This report offers solutions to the world,” says Creecy.

The report highlights and analyses information available, including a chapter on the African continent, further emphasising the vulnerability of all countries on the continent, and the urgency of developing and implementing adaptation measures across the continent and in multiple sectors.

African countries have already experienced widespread loss and damage as a result of human-induced climate change. Southern Africa is no different and is already facing loss of lives and impacts on human health, reduced economic growth, water shortages, reduced food production, biodiversity loss and adverse impacts on human settlements and infrastructure.

“The report makes clear that our development pathways must become more climate resilient, and the choices we make as a society now are critical. With increasing global warming, losses and damages will increase and additional human and natural systems will reach adaptation limits,” says Creecy.

The report emphasises that those most impacted by climate change are poorer communities. This means that equitable access to sustainable development  is essential in our response to climate change.

The IPCC report finds that climate change will increasingly undermine food security. At 2 °C warming by 2050, people in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Central and South America and on small islands are likely to experience food shortages, leading to malnutrition. This means that the ability to adapt and develop in a climate-resilient manner is critical, for example through adopting stress-tolerant crops and livestock, diversification on farms, she says.

“Our response to climate change will be one of inclusive, equitable, climate compatible development as espoused in the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.

“In this regard, we will continue to work together with the Climate Commission to identify pathways for a just transition to a low-carbon economy and climate resilient society by mid-century, which has never been more important,” says Creecy.