Climate Change in South Africa: Effects of Deforestation

The consequences of climate change in South Africa will be more severe than most places in the world. The African continent contributes the least greenhouse gas emissions, and yet, it is the most vulnerable to climate change.¹

Deforestation is a significant contributor to global warming in South Africa and elsewhere. It is responsible for about 10 per cent of all global emissions.² In addition, it can lead to desertification, soil erosion, flooding and decreased rainfall.³ To address the climate change emergency, we need to massively reduce deforestation and all carbon emissions whilst planting more trees.

How much of South Africa is forested?

South Africa’s government claims that their forest resources cover over 40 million hectares.⁴ This would equate to around 31 per cent of the country’s land area.⁵ However, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN estimated that only 8.9 million hectares of forests covered South Africa in 2004.⁶ This represents just 7 per cent of their land area.⁷

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) is the custodian of South Africa’s forests.⁸ The forestry sector contributes about 1 per cent of the country’s GDP and supports 652,000 rural people with livelihoods.⁹

What is the extent of deforestation in South Africa?

Between 2001 and 2019, South Africa lost 1.42 million hectares of tree cover.¹⁰ This represents a 24 per cent decrease in tree cover since 2000.¹¹ From 2002 to 2019, the total area of South Africa’s humid primary forest decreased by 8.3 per cent.¹² This is an unsustainable rate of deforestation. Most of it occurs around densely populated areas to supply city dwellers’ cooking and heating needs.¹³ This is unsurprising given that charcoal and raw wood provide as much as 80 per cent of southern Africa’s energy.¹⁴ It also means that the vast proportion of South Africa’s deforestation is avoidable. Uptake of more efficient cookstoves would alleviate the pressure on forests for charcoal.¹⁵ A transition to using clean energy sources would hugely reduce the dependence on deforestation.

Deforestation and climate change in South Africa

Deforestation fuels climate change by increasing the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.¹⁶ Trees absorb and sequester CO2 as they grow.¹⁷ By storing it in their branches, leaves, trunks and in the surrounding soil, forests act as a carbon sink.¹⁸ They subsequently keep the greenhouse gas from entering the atmosphere and trapping heat, resulting in global warming.¹⁹ Chopping trees down prevents them from removing any further CO2.²⁰ It also releases the CO2 they have already sequestered, producing further carbon emissions.²¹

South Africa is one of the biggest greenhouse gas emitters in Africa.²² Deforestation is both contributing to this whilst preventing the country from offsetting more of their emissions. The effects of climate change in South Africa are already evident. Their average annual temperature has increased at least 1.5 times more than the global average of 0.65°C over the past 50 years.²³ In a country with typically high temperatures and low annual rainfall, any temperature increase could be disastrous.²⁴ 

For example, South Africa’s development depends on agriculture and forestry, both of which are highly climate-sensitive.²⁵ Desertification as a result of a hotter climate would also devastate the country’s biodiversity.²⁶ Not only would this result in the extinction of animal and plant species, but it would also damage tourism – another key development driver.²⁷ In a country with high levels of poverty and inequality, the effects of climate change are dire challenges to development.²⁸ 

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