Mashatile calls for urgent climate action in SADC region

IN A stirring address delivered virtually during the 58th Plenary Assembly of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Deputy President Paul Mashatile lauded the SADC's commitment to combating climate change through impactful policy development and a regional climate-resilient water investment programme.

- THOBEKA NGEMA

The assembly, centred on "The Impact of Climate Change on Women and Youth in the SADC Region and the Role of Parliaments in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation", underscores the urgent need for action in a region significantly threatened by climate variability.

Mashatile highlighted that strengthening regional resilience requires a focus on developing a climate change strategy and action plan. This involves incorporating climate considerations into current policies, boosting climate information services, and prioritising effective water resource management.

"Climate change disproportionately affects women and young people, increasing their work burdens, escalating health risks, and heightening the changes of gender-based violence and exploitation," Mashatile said, describing it as a significant threat multiplier that exacerbates existing socioeconomic vulnerabilities.

"In parallel, climate change impacts such as persistent drought, extreme weather events, including floods and cyclones, land degradation and shifting rainfall patterns, profoundly undermine sustainable development in SADC, particularly affecting women and youth," Mashatile said.

He said women are disproportionately affected by climate change due to their vital roles in household welfare and reliance on natural resources. As primary providers of food, water, and fuel, climate-induced scarcity forces women to travel farther, increasing their workload, risks, and adverse health outcomes.