Fund announced to support ‘climate-resilient’ infrastructure

Experts have welcomed the announcement of a Climate Change Response Fund for South Africa, which is set to aid in mitigating the harmful impact of climate change and strengthen institutions, including universities, in their adaptation measures.

The government-driven initiative is envisaged as a public-private partnership that will be rolled out from 2025. More information about the fund was expected to emerge from the Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana’s budget speech on 21 February.

Climate scientists who spoke to University World News following the announcement of the fund earlier in February highlighted the importance of the initiative as higher education institutions have, in recent years, become increasingly vulnerable to extreme climate events such as floods, wildfires and heatwaves.

These events have posed some crucial questions on the state of institutional preparedness, on disaster management systems, infrastructure-proofing and other mitigating measures.

In an interview with University World News, Dr Kaitano Dube, an associate professor in the faculty of human science research, innovation and commercialisation at the Vaal University of Technology, cited the impact of a fire on the University of Cape Town in 2021, which led to the evacuation of 4,000 students, while destroying property including a historic library and plant conservation unit.

“In 2023 South Africa witnessed a record number of high-impact events that were costly. The intense storms and flooding in Eastern Cape province in 2021 to 2022 cost an estimated ZAR4.5 billion (US$236 million) in infrastructure damage, while the floods [in the coastal city of] Durban were estimated to have cost the country an excess of US$3 billion,” said Dube.

“The [envisaged] funding mechanism which involves the private sector can go a long way in alleviating the economic and social costs from such climate disasters, ensure better responses and reduce loss and damage.

“There are uncertainties as to how climate change will affect enrolment at universities, given the variety of knowledge gaps concerning future climate scenarios in the region.

“University and other education institutions’ vulnerability and climate adaptation preparedness are largely unknown, which is a big risk,” explained Dube.

Climate-resilient infrastructure needed

Dr Nomhle Ngwenya, a climate and disaster risk expert and a researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, highlighted that when analysing the impacts of extreme weather-related events on a social and economic level, the way in which it affects universities must not be overlooked.

“Extreme climate events impact the infrastructure of universities, for example, some structures at University of KwaZulu-Natal and Durban University of Technology were destroyed by the heavy floods that occurred in May 2022,” said Ngwenya.

“This led to the displacement of students as well as sewerage infrastructure challenges, which could have resulted in water and sanitation issues.

In the event of a drought, water systems are placed under immense pressure due to the demand for water and if the infrastructure is not maintained this can destroy and deplete avenues for water systems to be released,” she stated.

She emphasised the need for universities to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure and eco-friendly designs across campuses to mitigate the risks of extreme weather events, while ensuring the safety of documents and data through IT systems.

“At the heart of universities are students and it is very important that our learners become engaged in climate and adaptation strategies that really reflect their needs and concerns.

“For example, ensuring that campuses are easily accessible despite a wildfire or flooding events is crucial and in the case of a drought, there needs to be massive water-efficiency education that is entrenched should there be water shortages,” she stated.

Dube also highlighted that universities in Africa were largely under-prepared for a “climate change-transformed world”, and advocated for improved infrastructure to withstand the pressures of climate-induced extremities.

“Most lecture rooms, offices and other critical infrastructure still lack climate-proofing. Lecture rooms lack air conditioners, for example, to cope with the reality of increased temperatures and heatwaves, and the old infrastructure was not designed in a manner that is energy efficient nor to accommodate the rollout of green energy,” he stated.

Skills gaps

Dube emphasised that universities were key in informing societal responses through climate change literacy, research, development and innovation.

Higher education institutions were required to groom scientific expertise in climate change elements such as atmospheric physics, oceanography, ecology, and environmental science.

More experts were needed to feed the gaps in sustainable practices across agriculture, urban planning, transportation, and construction to mitigate environmental impact.

“There is a greater demand for climate change modellers, data analysts, renewable energy experts, economists, and communicators. We need people with skills and knowledge of environmental policies and regulations related to climate change, on a global and regional scale. Policy analysis, advocacy, and negotiation skills are crucial for driving systemic change,” said Dube.

“We need to drive innovation and entrepreneurship to develop and implement digital technologies, business models, and solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation. It is critical we model future climatic patterns to better prepare for them and build scenarios to assist in resilience building.

“The new areas being developed, such as green hydrogen and solar [power], require engineering skills, and universities need to develop the skills needed to power a green future,” he stated.

Announcement of the fund

The fund was announced on 9 February during the State of the Nation Address by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

According to Ramaphosa, the funding mechanism comes in response to the depth of challenges faced by the nation due to climate change.

“In recent years, the country has had to confront the effects of climate change. We have had devastating wildfires in the Western Cape, destructive floods in KwaZulu-Natal, unbearable heat waves in the Northern Cape, persistent drought in the Eastern Cape and intense storms in Gauteng.

“This is why we are implementing a just energy transition, not only to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change, but to create growth and jobs for our own people.

“With our abundance of solar, wind and mineral resources, we are going to create thousands of jobs in renewable energy, green hydrogen, green steel, electric vehicles and other green products,” he said.

The fund will be driven through financial mobilisation from both the government and the private sector to provide in the climate-proofing of existing essential infrastructure, such as water and food systems, roads, rail and ports, human settlements and healthcare.

“The fund will also collaborate with a variety of partners to respond to the immediate needs in communities following climate-change related disasters,” he said.

The response fund is expected to become operational in the 2025-26 financial year in accordance with the 2025-26 national budget allocations.