ABSTRACT
Southern Africa is severely impacted by global climate change, with multiple stress factors adding to pre-existing vulnerabilities: the region is already one of the world's poorest and land and water resources are already under stress. It is warming up faster than other regions in Africa and the rest of the world, with significant changes in rainfall patterns and extreme weather events. Productivity in the agricultural sector – the backbone of the economies in Southern Africa – is expected to be significantly impacted, both at commercial and subsistence levels. These dynamics are bound to hamper food security and deepen structural poverty and inequalities, and in turn, constitute severe challenges for sustainable development and for reaching Sustainable Development Goals. The stakes are high, and at the same time, government responses do not yet seem to be adequately prepared for the magnitude of the challenges. Climate-relevant planning and appropriate mainstreaming of climate change adaptation in government policies, programmes, and investments are lagging behind. Against this backdrop, international cooperation assumes a particular role in policy advice, change management, and capacity development in order to support governments in building climate-resilient societies.
