By Phumelele Mkhonta
Only 40 per cent of emaSwati are ‘armed’ against climate disasters. This is according to the newly published Eswatini Initial Adaptation Communication (EIAC) report compiled by the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs (MTEA).
According to the preliminary reports, the climate change vulnerability profile in Eswatini indicates that 60 per cent of the population experiences medium to high vulnerability to climate-driven hazards.
Minky Groenewald, a renowned Climate Change Specialist in Eswatini, unpacked the report, stating that the vulnerability was driven by underlying socio-economic conditions, including poverty.
“The Shiselweni and Lubombo regions represent socioeconomic vulnerability hotspots. The Hhohho and Manzini regions have moderate vulnerability. The urban areas, protected areas, private ranches, forests, and sugarcane plantations have notably lower vulnerability levels compared to other parts of the country as these areas are characterised by relatively high levels of employment and income. Dependency on ecosystem services is another major vulnerability in the country.”
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“Eswatini’s rural population particularly relies on the provisioning and regulating services of upstream ecosystems to protect soil quality and support access to water for domestic and agricultural use,” revealed Groenewald when sought for comment through a questionnaire sent by the Eswatini Sunday.
The official further explained that even though the maintenance of ecosystem services in Eswatini was a necessary aspect of support for both rural subsistence livelihoods and commercial-scale agricultural productivity, the increase in the deterioration of ecosystems in Eswatini has negatively affected the cultural, economic, and social practices of the population.
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These disturbances affect mostly the rural poor, especially households relying on subsistence farming to support their livelihoods
The Kingdom of Eswatini’s Initial Adaptation Communication to the UNFCCC identifies climate hazards in Eswatini as follows:
Droughts:
Eswatini is most affected by droughts caused by low precipitation and temperature increases. These extreme weather events threaten the country’s water availability. According to the State of Environment (MTEA, 2020), 14 per cent of the country’s population of 180,000 people is potentially affected by drought and this number is projected to increase by 33 per cent by 2050.
Floods:
Eswatini is already experiencing devastating urban floods, as evidenced by the recent (January 2021) Tropical Cyclone Eloise. The country has also seen floods wreaking havoc in the past two years, causing extensive damage to infrastructure.
Heat waves:
These are expected to worsen under climate change, affecting the key sector, agriculture, as well as the health of elderly residents.
Storms:
From 2001 to 2021, Eswatini was hit five times by varying storms (including windstorms, thunderstorms, hailstorms, lightning, and cyclones). One of the worst storms hit the country in 2005; it affected 100,000 people and destroyed dwellings and communal facilities.
In the past 18 months, the country has been battered by severe storms that included strong winds and rains at times accompanied by hail the size of golf balls.
Wildfires:
Eswatini has seen a notable increase in wildfires, with fires being declared a national disaster in 2007-2008 and a national emergency in 2019. According to the National Disaster Management Agency, damages in 2019 were estimated at E74 million with a total burnt area of about 36 163 hectares.
Landslides:
Floods and storms have induced landslides, causing enormous danger to human life and property. Tropical Cyclone Eloise resulted in landslides in several locations of Eswatini, such as Manzana and Mpolonjeni in the country’s western highlands.
Invasive species:
Climate change and variability in the form of increasing temperatures have created favourable conditions for the rapid growth and survival of invasive alien plant species.
Epidemics:
The high incidence of floods increases the occurrence of waterborne diseases such as cholera and malaria.