Ramaphosa: Our common future depends on climate action now

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

SEVEN months ago, parts of our country experienced a deadly natural disaster that showed how vulnerable South Africa is to the effects of climate change.

The floods that lashed parts of KwaZulu-Natal, North West and the Eastern Cape in April this year were of such intensity that they laid waste to nearly everything in their path.

Homes were swept away by the rising waters and landslides. Businesses and properties were waterlogged, causing millions of rands in damage. Key infrastructure like ports, rail lines and roads were damaged or destroyed, resulting in substantial losses to the economy. Worst of all, more than 400 people lost their lives.

It has long been established that there is a clear connection between the frequency of extreme weather events and climate change. It is also well-established that climate change has increased the likelihood of such events recurring.

According to one study, extreme weather