As SA suffocates under the stranglehold of the Covid-19 pandemic and crippling bouts of load-shedding, an even more sinister threat in the form of climate change lurks not far from the horizon.
Climate change in its broadest sense refers to the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place caused by human activity through the burning of fossil fuels like natural gas, oil and coal. The burning of these fossils produces heat-trapping gas which causes global warming. The World Health Organisation has declared climate change the greatest threat to global health while the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has identified education as a critical component in addressing the issue.
It is estimated that the 65 most vulnerable nations will see their GDP drop 20% on average by 2050 and by 64% by the end of the century. It is therefore imperative that a third of the world’s nations build resilience into their economies to withstand the onslaught of heatwaves, drought, floods and storms made more intense by global warming.
According to the report released at the end of the Conference on Climate Change (COP26) held in Glasgow, Scotland, Africa has done the least to cause climate change yet it will face the most severe consequences. SA received a R130bn grant from France, Germany, the UK, US and the EU, to help reduce domestic carbon emissions to within a suitable target range, in line with the Paris agreement's aim to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
Among other key projects, the money is earmarked to help Eskom ultimately retire its coal power stations, and assist the state-run power utility in building the renewable energy sector. To offset any long-term threat to the future of the planet, there is an urgent need for transformative climate action that should entail the slashing of global carbon emissions by half by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. UN secretary-general Antonio Gutteres has warned of an impending “climate catastrophe” if climate change is not kept in check. Climate change can lead to changes in weather and climate patterns, which can put lives at risk. Dry conditions can lead to more wildfires, while higher flooding will increase the spread of diseases and chemical hazards. Global warming can be reduced by lowering greenhouse gas emissions and removing them from the atmosphere.
This will necessitate the use of other sources of energy such as solar and wind energy and the phasing out, not phasing down, of coal and thus increasing energy efficiency. The prevention of deforestation will also help to absorb carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.
The importance of climate change education can never be overemphasised because in the event of extreme weather, schools might be forced to close or used as shelters for the displaced, which will accelerate the dropout rate. Climate change should be demystified and incorporated into citizenship education because while it is grounded in science, it is also about behaviour and action. According to Unesco, “education is critical in helping populations understand and address the impacts of climate change, and in encouraging the changes in attitudes and behaviour needed to help them address the causes of climate change, adopt more sustainable lifestyles and develop skills that support different modules of economies, as well as to adapt to the impact of climate change”.
Noting that SA is listed among the 20 largest carbon dioxide emitting countries worldwide, it is imperative that the topic of climate change is brought into the classroom. There is a need for increased public awareness and to promote activism among the population. The world owes it to the next generation to save the planet from extinction. There should be investment in new technologies and infrastructure to countenance the effect of climate change and to spur growth in the jobs market. Co-operation between the developed and developing countries is the key to ensuring global cohesion to secure global health. Poorer nations will need continuing financial support to help them accelerate their transition to greener energy. The planting of more trees will also assist towards the removal of CO2 from the air.
Displaying a maturity beyond her age, 18-year-old Swedish climate change activist Greta Thurnberg asserts: “Some say I should be at school. But why should any young person be made to study for a future when no-one is doing enough to save that future? What is the point of learning facts when the most important facts given by the finest scientists are ignored by our politicians? Climate action can no longer be postponed as doing so might obliterate the future.”
Closer to home, another climate activist, 19-year-old Ayakha Melithafa from Eerste River, Cape Town, also laments the loss of the innocence of youth.
“I should not be doing this. I should be caring about my studies. I should be hanging out with my friends. I should be able to trust the leaders of our country, that they will take care of us and put our best interests at heart. But it is very clear that we can’t trust our own leaders and countries, and we have to hold them accountable because they have their own vested interests, and they have no problem betraying the youth and selling our futures to benefit them,” she said on the sidelines of the COP26 conference she attended.
To mitigate the threat of climate change and global warming, it is important to place education at the centre of efforts to increase awareness and to encourage public participation to save the future for the next generation.
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