Western Cape already being hit by climate change, seeking to make itself resilient

The Western Cape is already feeling the effects of climate change, provincial Premier Alan Winde highlighted on Wednesday. He was addressing the Africa Green Economy Summit 2024, in Cape Town. The region’s economy, and so jobs, were being impacted, he said. This is especially so in the agricultural sector, with the Western Cape responsible for more than 50% of South Africa’s total agricultural exports. He reported that, in the past year, the province had been hit by three major floods. Over the last heritage weekend alone, 154 Western Cape roads had been swept away, blocked, or otherwise damaged. And, so far during this summer season (which is fire season in the province, which is a winter rainfall region), and which had seen some of the highest temperatures yet recorded, there had been 4 000 fires across the province.