In commemorating this year’s World Environment Day – marked annually on 5 June since 1973, and a vital platform for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment – the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has officially launched South Africa’s inaugural Climate Change Coastal Adaptation Response Plan (CARP).
CARP is a groundbreaking national adaptation strategy to build resilience across the country’s coastal areas, ecosystems, and communities in the face of climate change. It represents a bold and proactive step towards securing the future of South Africa’s coastlines and the millions who depend on them. Designed to respond to increasing risks posed by sea-level rise, extreme weather events, and ongoing development pressures, the Plan is a first-of-its-kind, sector-specific adaptation framework grounded in science, inclusivity, and local relevance.
“Our coastline or coastal cities are at the frontline of climate change, facing severe and multifaceted complexities that threaten livelihoods, communities, economies, infrastructure, and ecosystems,” said Minister George. “These issues require integrated, inclusive, and well-funded strategies that prioritize nature-based solutions, community resilience, and sustainable urban planning to safeguard our coastal assets.”
South Africa remains highly vulnerable to climate change due to its geographic exposure, developmental complexities, and pre-existing environmental stresses. Rising temperatures, floods, and droughts are threatening food security, economic stability, and ecological integrity.
CARP responds to these complexities by:
- Taking a targeted, element-based approach across five critical components: ecosystems, communities, infrastructure, livelihoods, and governance.
- Delivering 21 measurable climate response outcomes supported by over 150 practical interventions to enable localised adaptation.
- Placing ecosystems at the centre, prioritising the restoration and protection of critical coastal habitats—including blue and teal carbon sinks—as nature-based buffers.
- Aligning with key legislation and global frameworks, including the Climate Change Act (No. 22 of 2024), the Integrated Coastal Management Act, the Paris Agreement, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
- Mainstreaming adaptation across all spheres of government, ensuring integrated planning and execution.
- Mobilising diverse financing mechanisms, including public, private, and international climate finance such as the Green Climate Fund.
- Promoting inclusive and gender-responsive action, rooted in community participation and indigenous knowledge systems.
- Providing a clear implementation and monitoring framework to drive progress, ensure accountability, and adapt over time.
The Plan was developed through extensive consultation with over 700 stakeholders between 2023 and 2024, ensuring that its priorities reflect real-world conditions and the voices of those most affected.
CARP is also firmly anchored in the objectives of the White Paper for Sustainable Coastal Development in South Africa (2000), particularly Goal C5, which calls for responsible coastal planning to minimise exposure to natural hazards and support resilient development.
As South Africa grapples with the interconnected complexities of climate change, urban expansion, and environmental degradation, CARP serves as a unifying roadmap, offering clear direction for protecting coastal assets, enabling equitable adaptation, and unlocking new opportunities in the blue and coastal economy.
On this occasion of the World Environment Day (WED) 2025, commemorated this year under the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution”, the Minister highlighted the undeniable benefits that plastics bring - from energy savings to material conservation. However, he acknowledged the growing crisis of plastic pollution, which is incrementally threatening both planetary and human well-being.
“Plastic pollution is a global crisis affecting nature and human health, though plastics have benefits when used responsibly. The Good news: by 2040, we can cut ocean plastic waste by 80% and unlock $70 billion in savings.” said Dr Meseret Zemedkun, Head of United Nations Environmental Programme, Southern Africa region. “Together, we can secure a future with resilient ecosystems, thriving economies, and a healthier planet. On World Environment Day, communities in Southern Africa are taking action to help #BeatPlasticPollution.”
For decades, plastic pollution has infiltrated every corner of the world, contaminating the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe. The rewards of combating plastic pollution are therefore profound - cleaner oceans and lands, healthier people and ecosystems, greater climate resilience, and stronger economies.
Ridding the planet of plastic pollution is an important contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including those on climate action, sustainable production and consumption, protection of seas and oceans, and repairing ecosystems and retaining biodiversity.
“This launch, befittingly on World Environment Day, reminds us of the unprecedented convergence of the interconnected environmental complexities of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, with adverse ripple effects on coastal environments. We call on all sectors, government, business, civil society, and individuals, to join hands in the implementation of this vital plan,” said Minister George.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Thobile Zulu-Molobi
Cell: +27 82 513 7154
E-mail: tmolobi@dffe.gov.za
Chelsey Wilken
Cell: 074 470 5996
E-mail: cwilken@dffe.gov.za
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