SA Food Sovereignty Campaign

4 days ago

[READ AND SHARE]

Media statement
Cyclone Idai: Why is the media not linking it to climate change?

Trump, Rich Industrialised Countries and Carbon Corporations Must Pay a Climate Debt For Damaged Caused

(22 March 2019)

On the 14th of March, a cyclone with winds of up to 177km/h hit Southern Africa, devastating large
parts of Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique. Even in the early stages of the aftermath, it has been
hailed as a humanitarian disaster. According to the UN’s weather agency, it is possible that cyclone
Idai has the potential to be the worst weather related disaster to ever hit the Southern Hemisphere.
This is a climate disaster engendering climate injustice.
In Zimbabwe, close to 100 people have been confirmed dead, and over 200 are missing. Over 600
houses were destroyed, and around 20 000 were damaged. Zimbabwe is experiencing landslides and
roads are completely destroyed leaving people stranded. In Malawi, approximately 56 people have
been killed, and close to 600 missing. Due to flooding and other damage, around 11 000 households
are displaced, with around 920 000 people being affected in total. Reports coming out of
Mozambique are saying that over 500 000 people have been impacted. The death toll in
Mozambique is around 200, but is continuing to rise as more than 350 000 people are at risk, with
estimations saying that the death toll could triple.
With this level of devastation, it is important to ask why this climate shock has occurred. The reality
is cyclone Idai is an example of extreme weather brought on by climate change. According to the UN
IPCC 1.5C degree report, human activities have been responsible for approximately 1C degree
increase in temperature globally since before the industrial revolution. If we continue to increase
greenhouse gas emissions at the same levels, we are likely to reach a 1.5C degree increase within
the next 20 years or sooner. Research has shown that extreme climate and weather conditions were
observed around the 0.5C degree increase mark. The report states that “trends in intensity and
frequency of some climate and weather extremes have been detected…” (IPCC 2018), and this
increase in frequency and intensity will only continue to worsen as temperatures continue to rise.
Moreover, scientific research has confirmed a link between cyclone Idai and heating oceans linked to
climate change.
Climate change is extremely serious in the African context, with high levels of inequality, poverty,
limited resources, environmental destruction led by transnational corporations and indebtedness to
rich countries. Africa did not cause the climate crisis and most Africans have very low per capita
emissions compared to Americans or South Africans, for instance. Yet Africa is going to experience
some of the worst extremes of climate change and increasing temperatures. The IPCC 1.5 degree
Report tells us that Sub-Saharan Africa, has already been experiencing more frequent and intense

climate extremes, and an overshoot of 1.5C degree increase will mean devastating consequences for
the region. The temperature increases that the region will face are projected to be at least twice
higher than the global average.
We stand with the people of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi that have been devastated by
cyclone Idai.
Many measures could have been taken such as early warning systems, media mainstreaming climate
news so extreme weather is monitored and anticipated, disaster management systems put in place,
for instance, to prevent a loss of life. This has not happened because of climate denialism amongst
political leaders, the media and states in the region.
On Monday 18 March 2019 we engaged key institutions in the media family such as the Sunday
Times, Press Council and the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) to #EndClimateDenialism
in the media. We await a formal response from SANEF regarding our demands to ensure the media
#EndClimateDenialism. We have initiated and welcome a debate on the role of the media in
mainstreaming and reporting the worsening climate crisis so we can educate the public and advance
climate justice alternatives, now, as part of the deep just transition to sustain life. Failure by the
media to take climate science seriously imperils our society even more.
Climate change is being driven by petro states, such as Trump’s USA leading the fracking boom, and
carbon corporations. Rich industrial countries also owe the world a climate debt for 150 years of
using coal, oil and gas for industrialisation. From the standpoint of climate justice, we demand petro
states, carbon corporations and rich industrial countries contribute reparations to Mozambique,
Zimbabwe and Malawi for the climate debt owed, so these countries can rebuild as part of the deep
just transition.
Finally, South Africa is the 14 th highest carbon emitter in the world. Our coal addiction is a big part of
the problem. Energy imports from Mozambique were also disrupted due to the carnage of cyclone
Idai and this contributed to Eskom’s recent rolling black outs. We demand a deep just transition now
beyond fossil fuels like coal, to socially owned renewable energy, a food, seed and water sovereignty
system, a universal basic income grant and climate jobs, as a minimum, to ensure we mitigate
climate shocks, meet the needs of workers and poor communities. Through our climate justice
charter process we will advance these alternatives for South Africa. More information is available at
www.safsc.org.za and www.copac.org.za

Contact:
Dr. Vishwas Satgar, COPAC Board Chairperson/ SAFSC Alliance Partner, 082 775 3420
Ayanda Kota, Unemployed People’s Movement – Grahamstown, 078 625 64 62
Ferrial Adam, COPAC / SAFSC Alliance Partner, 074 181 3197
Itumeleng Mogatusi, GreenHouse Project / SAFSC Alliance Partner, 073 601 7078 ... See MoreSee Less