On World Environment Day, 5 June 2025, South Africa marked a major milestone in its climate resilience efforts with the official launch of the Coastal Adaptation Response Plan (CARP), the country’s first comprehensive national strategy dedicated exclusively to climate adaptation in the coastal sector. 

At the launch event, His Excellency Mr. Andreas Peschke, Ambassador of Germany to South Africa, emphasized that South Africa’s coastline is a national treasure and, like many other sectors, is vulnerable to climate change. With over 12.9 million South Africans living within 20 kilometers of the coast, and 60 percent of the national economy linked to ocean-based trade and resources, safeguarding coastal areas from the impacts of climate change is a national priority. The CARP provides a science-based roadmap to protect coastal communities, ecosystems, infrastructure, and economic assets from increasing climate risks. 

The CARP was developed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH through the Climate Support Program (CSP4), which is funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI).  

This collaborative effort extended further, involving more than 700 stakeholders from diverse sectors – including government, academia, civil society, and the private sector – in its development. It was further strengthened by robust partnerships at both international and domestic levels. 

The full CARP, now publicly available, underscores South Africa’s strong dedication to integrated, evidence-based climate action.