Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
26 July 2024 | 10:00 CAT
3 min read

Amidst the backdrop of severe climate disasters, analysts believe South Africa’s social protection system could hold the key to mitigating the devastating impacts of floods, storms, and droughts. South Africa’s existing social grants and public employment programs can be enhanced to better prepare and protect vulnerable communities from climate-related shocks. Jack Calland, a Research Associate at J-PAL Africa, is optimistic that the nation can build resilience and pave the way towards climate and social justice.

Speaking to Radio Islam, Calland emphasised that the climate crisis is increasingly causing extreme and volatile weather events, leading to severe and devastating consequences, as evidenced by the recent events in South Africa.

“Two years ago, we had massive floods and mudslides, which some of our scientists have called the worst storm South Africa has had, and we had half a year’s worth of rain overnight in the Eastern Cape just last month. Because of the nature of the inequality in our country, the effects of the crisis will impact the vulnerable communities the worst. That’s the group we need to protect more,” he said.

Calland described social protection as a state intervention designed to safeguard people’s lives and livelihoods during crises or periods of chronic unemployment. Basically, it provides support through basic income and other measures to ensure economic stability and security.

“But in this context, we are looking at social protection as a way to respond to disasters. Suddenly, people who are barely getting by are facing a crisis. There is a role for gearing up the system to respond to these incidents,” he added.

He believes that South Africa has a solid foundation and regulatory environment for its social protection system, but it is not yet adequately addressing the new challenges posed by the climate crisis. There is a need for the system to become more responsive and dynamic to effectively meet these emerging demands.

According to Calland, Social grants, although a minimal amount of money, go a long way in helping people meet their basic needs.

Calland cited two examples drawing from global research: In North India, the World Food Programme (WFP) utilised advanced flood forecasting and climate modelling to predict floods ahead of time. This allowed them to provide income support five days before the floods peaked, enabling timely evacuations and saving lives.

Similarly, research at Oxford on Bangladesh has shown that early support significantly improves outcomes. Early intervention is crucial for effective response and protection in the face of crises.

“We are not far off from the vision we are imagining. We are arguing that we want to join the dots between the existing systems we have and the existing regulations we have in place. They are currently fragmented, and the provision of the different grants is quite separate; we would like to see those combined in some way,” he said.

To enhance community resilience, Calland suggests that we can leverage various public employment programs. These include tasks such as removing invasive trees to prevent wildfires, clearing drains to mitigate flooding, and other activities that help communities better withstand and recover from environmental challenges.

Calland also stressed the importance of increasing education about the risks posed by the climate crisis and how these risks intersect with existing inequalities and poverty in our country.

“We are trying to move towards bringing in things like social care and education and see a broader role for public employment, as well as teach people how to improve rivers and ecosystems to be climate resilient and prepare homes to be better protected against dangerous weather. We shouldn’t see these issues as separate; we need to tackle the climate crisis, poverty and lack of opportunity together,” he said.

He asserted that more scientists and engineers are needed to drive the green transition, as there are significant opportunities for critical skills in these fields.

Calland believes that the Climate Change Act signed by Ramaphosa this week will establish a regulatory framework to integrate climate change concerns into the country’s policies.

According to the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC), the Act establishes a legal mandate for a nationwide climate change response, aligning policy and actions for both mitigation and adaptation. It represents South Africa’s fair contribution to the global effort against climate change.

LISTEN to the full interview with Muallimah Annisa Essack and Jack Calland, Research Associate at J-PAL Africa, here.