MONEY TALKS: As climate shocks intensify, SA pushes for more money to adapt at COP31
With extreme weather events hitting much of the developing world, including South Africa, throughout the year, the government is set on moving beyond mitigation and barreling toward adaptation at this year’s climate talks.
As extreme weather conditions continue to surge worldwide, including in South Africa, the government is prioritizing adaptation measures over mitigation at the upcoming COP31 climate talks, scheduled for November. The country has faced devastating floods in both January and April, causing significant loss of life and property damage.
In light of these events, the government is seeking increased financial support to bolster its adaptation efforts, with the government's forestry, fisheries, and environment minister, David Maynier, calling for a tripling of adaptation finance by 2035.
The Belém–Addis Vision on Adaptation, established during COP30 in Belém, Brazil, aims to measure progress towards global adaptation goals. South Africa, despite contributing only 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, faces significant challenges due to its vulnerability to climate-related disasters. The country has submitted numerous proposals to the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), but the fund's current budget and liquidity are insufficient to address the scale of the climate crisis.
South Africa's negotiating team will push for not only a tripling of adaptation finance but also adequate loss and damage funding, as well as the operationalization of the global goal on adaptation. The country's negotiators will focus on adaptation while acknowledging the need for continued action on emissions reduction. The upcoming Global Stocktake, which will take place during COP31, will assess the progress made in meeting the Paris Climate Agreement, providing crucial insights for the next round of climate action plans.
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