North West

This page provides a summary of key provincial climate change issues and links to district level climate change information

Contents

1 Provincial Climate Change Summary
1. 1.1 Key Climate Change Response Issues
2. 1.2 Current Climate Change Gaps
2 Provincial Statistics
3 Climate Science
4 Policy and Institutional Environment

Provincial Climate Change Summary

The North West Province has developed a Vulnerability Assessment for North West Province and a draft Adaptation Strategies for North West Province through the Climate Support Program. The Adaptation Strategy describes climate change risks and respective strategies to respond to these risks.

There appears to be limited mainstreaming of climate change issues in departmental sector plan, although the Adaptation Strategy does provide a level of detail that can be incorporated into key sector plans in the future.

Outside existing disaster risk management structures, there are no forums or structures to coordinate climate change response in the province, however there has been and continues to be stakeholder workshops through the drafting of the Adaptation Strategy.

Key Climate Change Response Issues

The North West is a land-locked predominantly rural province with a strong mining and agricultural sector. The key climate change adaptation issues therefore relate to water and agricultural issues. These are summarised in the table below from the Adaptation Strategies for North West Province

Adaptation Category	Adaptation Responses
Agriculture	Allocate funding and resources to develop a climate change adaptation plan for the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector in the North West (starting with agriculture at a minimum) Develop and implement sub-plans for each of the sectors - agronomy, horticulture, monogastric animals (poultry and swine), and ruminants (cattle).
Rural Livelihoods and Settlements	Devote resources to identifying and providing training on alternate sources of livelihood for different regions and communities within the North West. Create and strengthen business development mechanisms for smallholder farmers. Redouble efforts to improve overall socio-economic security and wellbeing, especially in high vulnerability municipal wards.
Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems	Develop communications and carry out a sustained training and awareness campaign regarding the province’s ecosystems and vulnerabilities. Implement SPLUMA to internalize climate change issues into land use planning (after integrating climate change into provincial level SPLUMA implementation instruments through amendment). Develop a specialized climate change management programme to focus on identification and protection of the North West’s main terrestrial ecosystems in the face of climate change. Strengthen forums for cooperative governance and improve implementation of existing efforts.
Water Resources (Aquatic Ecosystems and Water Supply)	Establish a water resource conservation programme to recommend and implement evidence-based measures for resource protection. Enhance the use of Water Conservation and Demand Management measures. Improve Water Quality Management. Strengthen inter-departmental coordination.
Extractives	Establish a long-term climate change and health programme for the mining sector in the province. Organize an annual conference or symposium in the province focused on the mining industry’s response to climate change. Fund a province-specific assessment of water related climate change risk to the mining industry in the North West.
Disaster Management	Include climate change issues into institutions that are already dealing with disasters. Incorporate issues of climate change into municipal disaster management plans. Develop sector-specific disaster management plans, incorporating climate change.

Current Climate Change Gaps

The key gap in the province is the establishment of a multi-sector stakeholder forum to respond to climate change. There also needs to be a concerted effort to translate the draft adaptation strategy into an action plan and to integrate these response options into departmental sector plans. As with most other provinces, there also needs to be a clear strategy around securing and allocating climate finance to particular projects and programs.

Provincial Statistics

The North West Province is the fourth smallest province in South Africa, covering an area of 102,881 km2. It lies at the centre of the Northern border of South Africa and shares a border with neighbouring Botswana. The Province is known for its rich natural resources, which include minerals such as platinum and chromium, as well as its rich wildlife and has a comparative advantage over the other provinces in the mining and agriculture sectors. The North West is also home to a number of internationally recognised fossils found at a number of different sites. The capital of North West is Mahikeng (formerly known as Mafikeng) (North West Provincial Department: Department, Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development, 2015).

The North West Province is made up of four municipalities as shown in the Figure 1 below: Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Ngaka Modiri Molema, Bojanala Platinum, and Dr Kenneth Kaunda. Based on the 2011 Census, the North West's total population is 3,509,953, with 65% of the population is accommodated in rural areas. The climate in the province varies considerably with the areas in the east being much wetter than those in the west. The province is dominated by a flat savanna and grassland landscape, which is home to rich biodiversity and agriculture, with hills and ridges dividing up this landscape. Some of the more iconic of these include the Magaliesberg and Pilanesberg ridges, and the Vredefort Dome. The Kalahari Desert lies to the west of the province (North West Provincial Department: Department, Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development, 2015).

Figure 1: Map of North West Province showing its municipal boundaries.

Climate Science

Localised climate change projections

According to the North West's Environmental Outlook Report of 2013 (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014), the North West Province has not experienced the warming that global circulation models have predicted for South Africa thus far. However, the report does highlight a set of possible 'worst case scenario' effects for North West if the projections hold true. These include the province experiencing increases in annual average temperatures of up to 8°C by the end of the century, and drier conditions towards the west of the province. Under a less extreme case scenario, the drier conditions will be less extreme and the temperature increases will be in the region of less than 4 degrees by the end of the century.

Data from the national Long Term Adaptation Scenarios (LTAS) project, states that the North West is likely to experience increases in temperatures of 2.5°C by 2035, 1 -3°C between 2040 and 2060 (high end scenarios indicate 2-5°C), and by 3-6.5°C between 2080 and 2100 (high end scenarios indicate 5-8°C) (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015). Rainfall projections are less certain, with some climate models predicting decreases in rainfall and others predicting moderate increases in rainfall. What is certain is that the variability of rainfall will increase and that due to temperature increases evaporation rates are likely to increase resulting in a drier future (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015).

Results of a vulnerability assessment conducted for the province highlight the following sectors as displaying greater vulnerability to climate change: agriculture, ecosystems (terrestrial and aquatic), rural livelihoods, and the mining sector (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015). The table below, taken from the vulnerability assessment report, summarises the findings of this assessment.

Table 1: Vulnerability assessment summary (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015)

	Sensitivity	Exposure		Risk		Adaptive Capacity		Vulnerability
		Short Term	Long Term	Short Term	Long Term	Short Term	Long Term	Short Term	Long Term
Terrestrial	Med	Med	High	Med	High	Low	Med	Med	High
Aquatic	High	Med	High	High	High	Med	Med	Med	High

Rural	High	Med	Med	Med	High	Med	Low	Med	High
Urban	Med	Low	Med	Low	Med	Med	Med	Low	Med

Agriculture and Farming	High	Med	High	Med	High	Med	Med	Med	High
Mining	Med (indirect)	Med (Indirect)	Med (Indirect)	Med (Indirect)	High (Indirect)	Low	Med	Med (Indirect)	High (Indirect)
Tourism	High	Med	Med	Med	Med	Med	Med	Med	Med

Water Supply	High	Med	High	Med	High	Low	Med	Med	Med
Energy Supply	Med	Low	Med	Low	Med	Med	Med	Med	Med
Transport	Low	Low	Med	Low	Low	Low	Med	Med	Med

Public Health and Safety	Med	Med	Med	Med	Med	Low	Med	Med	Med
Extreme Weather / Disaster	High	Med	High	Med	High	Med	Med	Med	Med

Agriculture

Agriculture is an important activity in the North West Province because of its contribution to food security in the country. 43.9% of the province's land is classified as arable, but presently only 20.9% of the province is cultivated. Agricultural activities include a range of commercial crop farming, including maize and wheat, livestock farming, game farming, and subsistence farming (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014). The eastern, wetter areas of the province are used for livestock and crop farming, the central and southern areas are dominated by maize and wheat farming, and the more arid areas in the west are suitable for livestock and game farming (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015). Although agriculture contributes only 2.1% to the province's total economic output, it does provide much needed income for rural communities in the province (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014).

Changes in temperature and rainfall patterns in the province have the potential to negatively impact both subsistence and commercial farmers and threaten both food production and access. Subsistence farmers that depend on certain climatic conditions to grow their crops will be unable to do so effectively making them more vulnerable. Increases in temperatures will result in the need for commercial farmers to increase their irrigation or production of fodder, which will place further pressure on already over capacitated water systems. Changes in temperature and rainfall will result in changes in the suitability of certain areas for specific crops or livestock farming. Maize farming, for example will become less suitable in the western areas and more suitable in the eastern parts of the province. Sorghum production could also improve in the eastern regions of the province. However, with continued changes in climate it is predicted that the land suitability for sorghum will be reduced substantially by the end of the century. If rainfall increases in the province, the land may become more suitable for sugar cane by the end of the century (North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014). At a national level, the province produces a high percentage of South Africa's maize (18%), a crop which is highly sensitive to rainfall changes. Changes in rainfall may therefore have detrimental impacts on maize production in the country impacting on food security for the country as a whole (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015). The province also plays a major role in the production of sunflower seed, cattle ranching and game farming at a national level which are predicted to be negatively impacted by changes in climate (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015).

The North West Climate Change Adaption Strategy identifies the following strategies and responses to deal with the risk in the Agricultural Sector:

Strategy

Description

Responsibilities

Time frame

Potential sources of funding

Allocate funding and resources to develop a climate change adaptation plan for the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector in the North West (starting with agriculture at a minimum)

This strategy involves the development of a detailed climate change adaptation plan for the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector that identifies locally relevant adaptation responses.

Lead implementer: READ. Implemented in coordination with DEA, DAFF, and DWS at the national level, SANBI, the Red Meat Producers Association, and, North West University

One year

National treasury, the Land Bank

Develop and implement sub-plans for each of the sectors - agronomy, horticulture, monogastric animals (poultry and swine), and ruminants (cattle).

Sub-plans for agronomy, horticulture, monogastric animals (poultry and swine), and ruminants (cattle) should be developed and include both research and applied components in order to assist farmers practically in responding to climate change in these sectors.

Lead implementer: READ. Application in collaboration with: DAFF, DWS, NWU, the Red Meat Producers Association, and other relevant entities.

Sub-plans developed in one year.

Implementation ongoing

National treasury, the Land Bank

Ecosystems

North West Province is rich in biodiversity and is composed of savanna and grassland biomes. The biodiversity that is supported in these biomes, and the associated ecosystem services that support human survival, are under threat mostly due to land use change and degradation. Natural land is being converted into land for mining, agriculture and urban and rural development in the province. In addition, other threats to biodiversity in the province include the spread of alien invasive species, pollution, institutional issues, biological risks (such as genetically modified crops) and poaching. A reduction in biodiversity not only means a reduction in species but also in a range of ecosystem services that support the economy and human livelihoods. Restoring these ecosystems or providing these services artificially, such as purification of water resources, is extremely costly and will have economic implications in the province. One of the areas of concern is the provision of water, with pollution, destruction of wetlands, and mining having negative impacts on ground and surface water resources (North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014).

The North West's terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are highly vulnerable to climate change, with grasslands being particularly vulnerable. Currently the province's western sandy Highveld grassland ecosystem is classified as critically endangered, its Vaal- Vet sandy grassland endangered, and eight other ecosystems classified as vulnerable (Department of Environmental Affairs ,2015). By 2050 it is projected that the savanna biome will experience a dramatic expansion replacing a large percentage of the grassland biome in the province. This change in landscape will have a detrimental impact on grassland species, with some going extinct and others experiencing a reduction in distribution ranges, whilst the savanna species are expected to expand their distributional ranges into the former grassland areas. Other impacts from the changes in biome conditions include changes to hydrological cycles. In addition an expansion of the savanna biome may make more areas suitable for game farming (North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014).

The North West Climate Change Adaption Strategy identifies the following strategies and responses to deal with the risk in for Terrestrial Ecosystems:

Strategy	Description	Responsibilities	Time frame	Potential sources of funding
Develop communications and carry out a sustained training and awareness campaign regarding the province’s ecosystems and vulnerabilities	Public communication and awareness materials should be developed that provide information on ecosystems and climate change and highlight the importance of certain environment-themed days.	The Department of Education, SANBI and Department of Health.	Strategy to be implemented within one year, and then be an ongoing effort	Not identified
Implement SPLUMA to internalize climate change issues into land use planning	SPLUMA should be implemented in the North West province, taking the impact on the environment and climate change aspects into account in all future land use decisions.	Local municipalities.	Strategy to be implemented within one year, and then be an ongoing effort	Not identified
Develop a specialized climate change management programme to focus on identification and protection of the North West’s main terrestrial ecosystems in the face of climate change	North West to establish a programme, in partnership with the South African National Biodiversity Institute and other provinces, that strengthens the understanding of the effects of climate change on the savanna and grassland ecosystems. This could result in the establishment of new protected areas and conservation programmes.	Lead implementers: DEA and the provincial counterparts at READ. Assisted by DAFF, SANBI and other provinces.	Strategy to be implemented within one year, and then be an ongoing effort	DEA or provincial on an annual basis
Strengthen forums for cooperative governance and improve implementation of existing efforts	Forums for cooperative governance where decisions are made regarding land-use should be established and strengthened. Resources should also be allocates to the implementation of existing plans and programmes that build resilience of ecosystems.	Collective responsibility	Ongoing

Rural Livelihoods and Settlements

According to the 2011 Census the North West has a total population of 3,509,952 (6.8% of the country's total population) with a high proportion of people living in rural areas (46% in tribal/traditional areas, and 9% on farms). The graph below shows the urban rural split by district municipality, with Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality the only municipality with a higher percentage of urban households than rural households. The other three municipalities have higher percentages of households in the rural areas. According to population trends from 2001-2011, both urban and rural populations in the province are increasing (North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014).

Figure 2: Graph showing percentage of urban and rural households in the North West by municipality (North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014)

As mentioned above a large percentage of North West's population reside in rural areas and are dependent on natural resources for subsistence. A high percentage are dependent on livestock and agriculture for their livelihoods and changes in climate are predicted to have dire impacts on the livelihoods of these communities. Climate change adaptation is therefore critical in rural areas because of the dependence on natural resources. Drought is already being experienced as an issue in the North West, with subsistence farmers especially feeling the impacts of reduced rainfall. People living in rural areas have limited resources and access to services and therefore have reduced capacity to respond to climate change. The rural youth and elderly populations are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. Children in the province already experience high levels of malnutrition which is expected to increase as food production decreases. The adaptation strategy for the province highlights the importance of providing alternative means of livelihood rather than agriculture and mining which are both vulnerable to the effects of climate change (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015).

The North West Climate Change Adaption Strategy identifies the following strategies and responses to deal with the risk in Rural Livelihoods and Settlements:

Strategy	Description	Responsibilities	Time frame	Potential sources of funding
Devote resources to identifying and providing training on alternate sources of livelihood for different regions and communities within the North West.	An applied research programme is developed that investigates alternative livelihoods for North West rural communities. Once suitable alternatives have been identified, a training and skills building programme should be implemented to assist rural communities to make the transition.	Lead implementer: READ FEED, DAFF and the Department of Social Development involved in design and implementation	Programme structure and design completed within one year. Skills building to start within 2-3 years	Not identified
Create and strengthen business development mechanisms for smallholder farmers	This strategy involves providing support to rural communities through loans, grants, and access to markets and resources, to respond to new opportunities in the agricultural sector.	Lead implementers: The Department of Economic Development at the national level and READ at the provincial level. DTI, FEED, and DAFF should also be involved.	Programme to be developed within one year and implemented on an ongoing basis thereafter	DAFF and the Department of Small Business Development.
Redouble efforts to improve overall socio-economic security and wellbeing, especially in high vulnerability municipal wards.	Improve the adaptive capacity of rural communities through the provision of good basic services and integrate climate change into existing policies.	Lead implementer: Department of Human Settlements.Assisted by: DHS, FEED, Social Development, Department of Health and SALGA.	Ongoing	Not identified

Mining

Mining is an important sector in the province that generates 33.6% of the GVA and employs 25% of the province's workforce, and is therefore important to consider in relation to climate change. Large amounts of water and electricity are required by the platinum and gold mines, with approximately 63% of the electricity supplied to the province consumed by the mining sector. A change in climate will therefore impact on the mining industry due to lower water availability and restrictions that may be placed on water and energy resources. Certain operations that have become common practice for mines may be restricted due to the large quantities of water required. In the event of heavy rainfall events the problem of Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) or Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) could be exacerbated, and operations could be affected. The increased temperatures will also have an impact on working conditions of labourers in the mines as these increased temperatures could pose health hazards, reduce labour productivity and reduce air quality (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015,North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014). Therefore, more research into the impacts of climate change on the mining industry in the province have been recommended in the North West's Adaptation Strategy document (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015).

The North West Climate Change Adaption Strategy identifies the following strategies and responses to deal with the risk in Mining Sector:

Strategy	Description	Responsibilities	Time frame	Potential sources of funding
Establish a long-term climate change and health programme for the mining sector in the province	Government should work with the mining industry and unions to assess and prepare for increasing temperatures and the associated health risks in the mining industry by developing a long term programme.	Lead implementing entity: The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR). Operationalisation in coordination with the Department of Labor (DoL), Department of Health (DoH), mining companies, the Chamber of Mines, and mine worker unions. Final implementation will be the responsibility of individual mines.	Strategy to be operationalized within a year. Continuous implementation thereafter.	DMR, and mining companies’ Corporate Social Responsibility budgets.
Organize an annual conference or symposium in the province focused on the mining industry’s response to climate change	A conference focusing on the impacts of climate change in the mining industry and approaches to adaptation and risk reduction in the industry should be held annually or biannually.	Lead implementing entity: The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR). Operationalisation in coordination with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), mining companies, and the Chamber of Mines. If conducted at a Provincial level the lead entity should be the North West Climate Change Office.	Strategy to be operationalized within a year. Continuous implementation thereafter as an annual event.	DMR, and mining companies’ Corporate Social Responsibility budgets.
Fund a province-specific assessment of water related climate change risk to the mining industry in the North West	A comprehensive climate change risk assessment focused on water, in relation to the mining industry in the province should be conducted. Improved knowledge of risks will enable the industry and policymakers to develop tailor made adaptation actions.	The Department of Water and Sanitation would be an appropriate lead entity for this strategy, in close collaboration with DMR as well as DEA, and the mining companies. At the provincial level, READ and other relevant local entities would drive the strategy implementation.	The assessment to be initiated within a year. Results to be finalised within the second year.	DWS or READ.

Water Resources

The North West Province is a water stressed province with relatively low rainfall across the province that varies from 300mm per annum in the west, 500mm per annum in the central part, and 600mm in the east. Most of the water resources in the province are non-perennial making the province heavily reliant on its groundwater resources. The three largest consumers of water in the province are for irrigation (62%), urban uses (18%) , and mining (12%). Although the province contributes to only 6% of South Africa's GDP it uses approximately 25% of the country's available water. Increases in population together with growth in mining and industry are predicted to place further stress on the province's water resources in the future and require upgrading of water and waste water infrastructure. Pollution of water resources from mining, industry, agriculture and domestic use in the province is of concern and because of the interrelated nature of ground and surface water in the province (many of the river sources are underground springs) the quality and quantity of ground water resources has a direct impact on the quality and quantity of surface water, and likewise the quality and quantity of surface water has an impact on groundwater (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014). Furthermore water related infrastructure is decaying and is not being maintained which poses additional pressure on the province's water resources (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015).

Climate change projections in the province indicate that an increase in temperatures will be experienced and in the western regions of the province rainfall is expected to decrease, but will occur more infrequently and with greater intensity. These factors will impact on water resource quality and availability, timing of high and low flows, an increase of water-borne diseases, a concentration of salts and nutrients in water and soil, an increase in the risk of flooding, increase in drought incidences, and impact on aquatic species. Increases in drought will have significant consequences on water supply in the North West and there are no new sources of water that can be used (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014, Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015). A vulnerability assessment for the province identifies water availability as the "primary channel through which climate change is impacting the province" and identifies agriculture, livestock rearing and mining as being particularly vulnerable to the projected changes in water availability (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015). The strategies highlighted in the province's adaptation strategy focus on water conservation, improving water quality, and governance issues (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015).

The North West Climate Change Adaption Strategy identifies the following strategies and responses to deal with the risk in Water Resources:

Strategy	Description	Responsibilities	Time frame	Potential sources of funding
Establish a water resource conservation programme to recommend and implement evidence-based measures for resource protection	A dedicated programme should be established to understand the impacts of climate change on dolomitic aquifers, wetlands, and pans in the province.	Lead implementer: DWS, working with Catchment Management Authorities, local municipalities, SALGA, water user associations, and all relevant national departments (such as DEA, DAFF, DMR etc.).	Strategy to be implemented within one year, and then be an ongoing effort	DWS and DEA, and scaling up of existing funding for programs like Working for Water and Working for Wetlands
Enhance the use of Water Conservation and Demand Management measures	Water conservation and demand side management should be prioritised in the province. Incentives for adopting more efficient practices such as rainwater harvesting and re-use of grey water should be implemented. Maintenance of water infrastructure should also be prioritised.	Lead implementer: DWS, working with Catchment Management Authorities, local municipalities, SALGA, water user associations, and all relevant national departments (such as DEA, DAFF, DMR etc.).	Strategy to be implemented within one year, and then be an ongoing effort	DWS and DEA, and scaling up of existing funding for programs like Working for Water and Working for Wetlands
Improve Water Quality Management	Water quality should be made a priority and policy and enforcement improved around pollution of water resources.	Lead implementer: DWS, working with Catchment Management Authorities, local municipalities, SALGA, water user associations, and all relevant national departments (such as DEA, DAFF, DMR etc.).	Strategy to be implemented within one year, and then be an ongoing effort	DWS and DEA, and scaling up of existing funding for programs like Working for Water and Working for Wetlands
Strengthen inter-departmental coordination	An inter-office coordination forum on water management and conservation should be established, and it should integrate climate change.	Lead implementer: DWS, working with Catchment Management Authorities, local municipalities, SALGA, water user associations, and all relevant national departments (such as DEA, DAFF, DMR etc.).	Strategy to be implemented within one year, and then be an ongoing effort	DWS and DEA, and scaling up of existing funding for programs like Working for Water and Working for Wetlands

Disaster Management

The North West experiences a range of natural disasters including floods, drought, heat waves and veldfires. Currently (2015-2016) the province is experiencing one of the worst drought's in history which is impacting on maize production in the province. It is projected that these natural disasters are expected to worsen with climate change in the North West. With regards to flooding, the North West is the second highest risk of infrastructure damage to dams and bridges. With the increases in temperatures expected, the North West is likely to experience greater risks of veldfires, especially in the eastern parts (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015).

The province has initiated a number of disaster management frameworks and structures in the province to respond to disaster. These include: a disaster risk management centre, the disaster risk management advisory forum, an inter-departmental disaster risk management committee, a volunteer disaster management unit, and a disaster risk management plan. Climate change is however still not adequately mainstreamed into these efforts which the adaptation strategy for the province highlights (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015).

The North West Climate Change Adaption Strategy identifies the following strategies and responses linked to Disaster Management:

Strategy	Description	Responsibilities	Time frame	Potential sources of funding
Include climate change issues into institutions that are already dealing with disasters	A Disaster Management Advisory Forum at the province-level has already been established. It is advised that the Advisory Forum integrate climate change issues and include climate change as a standing agenda item.	All departments are responsible for including issues of climate change into their own plans.	Within a year	Departments should seek increases in their budgets to allow for better disaster management and planning, with the inclusion of climate change as a criterion. Additional funding could be sought from the Disaster Management Center
Incorporate issues of climate change into municipal disaster management plans	Municipalities are required to incorporate climate change into their own individual disaster management plans	All departments are responsible for including issues of climate change into their own plans.	Within a year	Departments should seek increases in their budgets to allow for better disaster management and planning, with the inclusion of climate change as a criterion. Additional funding could be sought from the Disaster Management Center
Develop sector-specific disaster management plans, incorporating climate change	Each key sector within the province needs to develop its own disaster management plan. These plans should also integrate climate change considerations.	All departments are responsible for including issues of climate change into their own plans.	Within a year	Departments should seek increases in their budgets to allow for better disaster management and planning, with the inclusion of climate change as a criterion. Additional funding could be sought from the Disaster Management Center

Policy and Institutional Environment

Policies and Strategies

At the end of 2015 a draft report documenting adaptation strategies for North West was compiled- Climate Support Programme (CSP) – Climate Change Adaptation Strategies: Adaptation Strategies for North West Province (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015). The strategies developed are in response to identified key sectors that exhibit high climate change vulnerability or are critical for the province's economic growth. The report recommends that the proposed strategies are further developed by relevant sectors in the North West and mainstreamed into provincial policy.

The North West's Environmental Outlook Report of 2013 identifies climate change as a 'potential tipping point'. The report highlights that efforts needs to be made in preparing for the impacts of climate change and developing associated interventions. A key concern highlighted is water availability which is predicted to be exacerbated with a change in climate. The province is experiencing a water deficit and further reductions in rainfall are predicted to have severe impacts on the agricultural sector especially, which could threaten food security in the province (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2014). Furthermore the North West's Provincial Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development 2015-2020 Strategic Plan (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2015) identifies the development and implementation of effective climate change mitigation and adaptation response in the province as one of its 12 policy imperatives for the period, and targets the development of a climate change response strategy for the province. It also highlights climate change as one of its eleven strategic Outcome Oriented Goals (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2015). However, a lack of a dedicated budget for climate change and a lack of a specialised unit for climate change are highlighted as barriers to achieving climate related targets. A risk management plan highlighted in the strategic plan identifies a "Lack of integrated planning of climate change aspects into Provincial and Local plans" as a key risk to fulfilling targets set. (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2015).

The North West Environmental Implementation Plan 2015-2020 mentions that there is a North West Climate Change Response Strategy that is in process and expected for completion in 2015 (North West Provincial Department: Department, Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development, 2015). One of the strategic objectives highlighted in the North West's Provincial Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development 2015-2020 Strategic Plan is that the department coordinates provincial climate change responses and initiatives and develops climate change response tools, under its environmental services programme (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2015).

Structures

The North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development (READ) is the lead department that coordinates climate change for North West Province. According to information provided by provincial stakeholders at a workshop on the 22 June 2016, there is no specific climate change department/unit in the province, and climate change adaptation is currently added on to two staff members’ responsibilities who focus on environmental policy and planning. These two staff members mostly play a coordination role in relation to climate change in the province. The Air Quality Unit under READ is focused on emissions and does not have any climate change related roles and responsibilities allocated. The Agriculture Unit within READ focuses on Early Warning Systems relating to climate change. A climate change support unit is however being proposed that will address both mitigation and adaptation and will be composed of two staff members.

There is currently no provincial climate change forum that is running but there is a Provincial Disaster Management Forum that meets quarterly. The provincial disaster management advisory forum is mentioned in the North West Province's Adaptation Strategy, and recommendations made that climate change issues should be incorporated into this forum (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2015). However, provincial stakeholders at the workshop on the 22 June 2016 advocated for a climate change specific forum to be initiated. Reasons for this include:

The Disaster Management Forum meeting agendas are always full and therefore climate change does not get the attention required.
A climate change specific forum is required to focus on climate change issues.
A climate change forum will allow for the inclusion of non-governmental participants, including NGOS and the private sector.
The climate change forum should have representation from all provincial government sectors.

It was however emphasised that climate change should be a standing item in the Provincial Disaster Management Forum and that there is representation from the climate change forum on the Disaster Management Forum and vice versa.

Communication of climate change information

At a recent workshop held with provincial stakeholders on the 22 June 2016, stakeholders agreed that accessing information on climate change was a challenge and felt that information was not passed down from national departments to the province in an easy to understand and accessible way.

Research

In terms of climate change related research in the province, stakeholders at the workshop on 22 June 2016 highlighted that the province’s Office of the Premier has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with North West University regarding research. This covers all areas, and is not only focused on climate change. READ also has a formal relationship with North West University. Some of the research projects currently on the go at the University include air quality models, a biogas pilot project, and Renewable energy solar projects.

Climate Change Budget and Finance

The province lacks a dedicated budget for climate change and does not have a specialised unit for climate change (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2015).The province's Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development 2015-2020 Strategic Plan highlights the lack of a climate change unit and budget for implementing climate change response actions and a reliance on external sources for funding climate related initiatives (North West Department of Rural,Environment and Agricultural Development, 2015).

Subpages (4): Bojanala Platinum District Municipality - DC37 Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality - DC40 Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality - DC39 Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality - DC38

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