The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has committed to produce two reports on climate change for Cabinet as part of one of the outcomes of the medium-term strategic framework (MTSF).
Government's five-year MTSF incorporates an outcomes-based approach to complement the National Development Plan's (NDP's) vision and trajectory that by 2030 South Africa's transition to an environmentally sustainable, climate change resilient, low-carbon economy and just society will be well under way.
The reports fall under under ‘Outcome 10: Protect and Enhance our Environmental Assets and Natural Resources’ of the MTSF.
The first report, ‘The State of Climate Change Science and Technology in South Africa’, was compiled by the Academy of Science of South Africa on behalf of the DST and has been completed and endorsed by Cabinet.
The report assesses the climate change science and technology landscape and highlights the key challenges and impacts in South Africa over the next 30 years.
“Over the next 30 years, the western parts of South Africa are expected to be hotter and drier than the rest of the country. More extreme weather, droughts and floods can be expected. The country will also face increased pressure to move the energy mix away from its current high dependence on fossil fuels, especially coal,” the report said.
The report also revealed strong international research linkages as the number of research collaborating countries increased from 40 in 2006 to 135 in 2015, with many South African scientists serving in leadership positions in international climate change research and assessment bodies.
Climate change-related research and technology development in South Africa is currently funded at around R400-million a year.
This constitutes growth of about 12% a year (nominal) over the past decade.
Two-thirds of this funding is dedicated to research, while the rest goes toward technology development.
“Climate change research and technology development expenditure amounts to about 1.7% of the total South African research expenditure, which is high for a developing country.”
The DST expects the second report to be completed by March 2019.