Climate Change Workshops Support South Africa's National Adaptation Strategy

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), in collaboration with the South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON) and the South African Weather Service (SAWS), organised a series of climate change scenario consultation workshops from 11-13 August 2025. These workshops took place in three provinces: the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.

The objectives of the workshops were to enhance South Africa’s climate adaptation strategy by informing the DFFE’s National Adaptation Strategy and to provide solid scientific evidence to support the implementation of the Climate Change Act 22 of 2024.

The workshops began with a presentation by Dr Andries Kruger from SAWS, who provided an overview of the current climate trends observed across the country. Mr Innocent Mbokodo, also from SAWS, shared seasonal climate trends generated from the CORDEX dynamically downscaled model. Ms Caroline Mfopa of NRF-SAEON, presented extreme rainfall and temperature trends from NASA’s CMIP6 statistically downscaled model.

The consultations gathered researchers, technical experts, municipal representatives, and members of the public to assess the accuracy and relevance of the downscaled climate projections for their regions. Stakeholders also provided valuable feedback on what would be useful for provincial and municipal adaptation and mitigation planning.

The workshops also facilitated productive discussions, with participants offering actionable insights to improve the climate scenario development process. These engagements represented a significant advancement in ensuring that there is co-development between the sciences and the public.