South Africa needs R250bn just to meet basic climate adaptation needs over the next decade

March 30, 2026 By: Alfred0 comments

South Africa needs investments worth R250 billion (US$15.64 billion) over the next 10 years to adapt to climate change. This amount would get the country to just a minimal level of adaptation. A team of researchers from the African Climate and Development Initiative and the Energy Systems Research Group at the University of Cape Town researched what the country’s priorities should be to secure water supplies, protect settlements from floods and heat, protect roads from damage, help farmers cope with the changing weather and protect lives and the economy. Climate adaptation researcher Anna Taylor was part of the team and explains.