Body to oversee climate change adaptation

September 12 2011 at 10:18am

Johannesburg - The SA National Biodiversity Institute has been placed in charge of South Africa's adaptation to climate change, the department of environmental affairs said on Sunday.

SANBI's accreditation as a national implementing entity by the United Nations' Adaptation Fund Board meant that South Africa would be able to apply directly for environmental finance, without having to go through institutions such as the World Bank, said department spokesman Albi Modise.

The Adaptation Fund was formed in January this year. Its aim is to finance projects and programmes to improve society's ability to adapt and cope with the risks posed by climate change, in line with the priorities of developing countries.

So far, nearly US50 million worth of grants had been approved this year, he said.

Edna Molewa, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, said South Africa's national climate change response strategy prioritised the need to adapt to the effects of climate change.

Adaptation is important in order to ensure food and water security, to reduce people's vulnerability to natural disasters, protect ecosystems, and to ensure livelihoods continued to flourish in the face of increasing climate uncertainty, she said.

SANBI already worked closely with national climate change policy makers and had led national initiatives relating to climate change adaptation.

It was also developing South Africa's second national communication on climate change, which included information on greenhouse gas emissions, said Molewa.

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