Pretoria: As South Africa joins the international community to celebrate World Environment Day, the government has called on every South African to be part of the climate response. "Businesses must accelerate cleaner and more sustainable practices. Communities must protect local ecosystems and reduce environmental harm. Civil society, youth, women, traditional leaders and local institutions must continue to lead practical action where they live and work," the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said on Friday.
According to South African Government News Agency, the department emphasized that the government will continue to strengthen partnerships that protect people, nature, and the economy. World Environment Day is being celebrated under the theme: 'Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future'. The theme serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need for governments, businesses, communities, and individuals to work together in taking meaningful action to protect the environment and address the impacts of climate change.
The department highlighted that the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly visible, affecting homes, livelihoods, infrastructure, and local economies with climate-related disasters. The rising temperatures, destructive floods, prolonged droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, melting glaciers, and rising seas are clear signals of the planet being under increasing pressure.
In South Africa, recent flooding and severe weather events have severely impacted several provinces, including Limpopo and Mpumalanga, resulting in tragic loss of lives, damage to homes and public infrastructure, disruption to livelihoods, and increased pressure on municipalities.
"As climate-related disasters increase in frequency and intensity, the government's response must move beyond recovery after disaster strikes. It must strengthen prevention, preparedness, adaptation, and resilience at the local level, where the impacts of climate change are felt most directly," the department stated.
The department is actively working with provinces, municipalities, and other state organs to support climate change adaptation planning, risk and vulnerability assessments, climate response strategies, disaster risk reduction, and the integration of climate considerations into local development planning. This includes helping municipalities better understand their climate risks, strengthen early warning and preparedness measures, identify adaptation priorities, and implement nature-based solutions such as wetland rehabilitation, catchment restoration, urban greening, and ecosystem protection.
"These interventions are critical because local government is at the frontline of climate impacts. When floods wash away roads, when heatwaves affect vulnerable households, when drought places pressure on water systems, and when storms damage public infrastructure, municipalities are often the first responders. Supporting local government is therefore not an administrative function. It is central to protecting lives, livelihoods, and public infrastructure," the department emphasized.