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Food, water, electricity – these elements of our survival are all hinged on one thing: the state of the environment.

It might feel more comfortable to put your head under the sand (albeit seething) and ignore the increased extreme weather phenomena that bring about natural disasters like skyrocketing heat, fire, drought, extreme storms and floods – all of which have been happening in our very own country, along with the rest of the planet, in very major ways over the last few years.

But, these elements are formidable enough to wreck economies by thwarting the industries, like agriculture and tourism, that keep it chugging along.

That’s why Philip Kruger, a Bonsmara stud farmer in the Free State, wrote to the Mail & Guardian pleading with voters to scrutinise policies carefully and use our voting power to force parties to address the climate crisis.

South Africa is a country hard-pressed with problems, and citizens may be inclined to vote for the parties and manifestos that promise things like job creation, economic growth and service delivery in the hope that the new government will deliver in addressing past economic exclusion as well as closing the gap between the rich and the poor.

Indeed, voters are already straining under high inflation, unaffordable rises in fuel costs and the unavailability of electricity – issues that “need to be addressed by the political parties, and aggressively so”, Kruger agrees. However:

“When deciding which party to vote for, voters must assess parties on their understanding of the current and future effects of climate change, especially the effects it has on the consumer. These policies must speak not only on mitigating the environmental effects of climate change. They must also include tangible, workable plans to protect and expand the economy when things really heat up.”

Kruger notes that as a farmer and red meat producer, climate change threatens the very industry in which he works and to which he has “dedicated his life”.

“More importantly, it will have a devastating effect on the consumer, resulting in sharply soaring food prices and increased levels of food insecurity.”

What happens when people are starving? Crime and civil disobedience rise, which affects every little life on a large scale. You can see inklings of it happening already. Consider the challenges that KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape have faced in the last while, with the looting that happened in 2021 and then, the 2022 floods that forced the citizens to fork out tax money to pay for the infrastructure bill, estimated to be a staggering R7 billion.

Floods and severe droughts directly impact food prices and availability by hindering farmers’ ability to produce crops. According to scientific predictions, the situation is likely to worsen.

“The time has come for voters to demand that political parties recognise the importance of climate change policies and how they propose to tackle this hot topic. It would be shortsighted to say that this isn’t a “bread-and-butter” issue and that this only warrants consideration by the well-to-do section of society. That it will have no effect on voters who struggle every day to make ends meet. Climate change is already affecting South Africans’ wallets and budgets, making it even harder to make ends meet.”

Last year also saw record-breaking heat levels, something that prompted United Nations’ secretary general, António Guterres to refer to this post-global warming era as the ‘Global Boiling’. While the Northern Hemisphere smashed heat records during its 2023 summer season, back home, we also felt the heat.

Statistics South Africa reported: “On the 27th of November [2023], more than 10 weather stations recorded the highest temperature records with the Automatic Weather Station at Augrabies Falls, in Upington, recording the highest maximum temperature of 46.7°C. These high temperatures have harmed the agriculture sector (one of the most climate-sensitive industries), causing crop yields to decrease and increasing livestock losses.”

It happened again just recently, where on 18 March, several weather stations had the mercury rise high above the 40℃ mark.

“This heatwave, coupled with significantly below-average rain in the interior, means South Africa can expect a below-average maize yield because crops singed in the sun.

Adding to the concern, a recent study revealed that livestock will face prolonged periods of heat stress. This will result in decreased production and fertility, and an increase in animal mortality to unsustainable levels.

“We can therefore expect a rise in the price of food, an inflation poor South Africans can scarcely afford.”

Even though climate policies are absent in this year’s manifestos of political parties, with only a few cursory mentions of climate change, voters need to use their power to force parties to address this crisis.

You can judge for yourself by reading some of the parties’ 2024 election manifestos: ANC, Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters, Freedom Front Plus, ActionSA and RISE Mzansi.

We may really regret it if climate change remains in the realm of “let us deal with this after the economy is fixed”. Climate policies should ultimately be an essential part of our current economy, and you can do your part by making it a top priority when voting on May 29.

[source:mg]