Shelter from the storm: climate-accelerated urbanisation in South Africa

The country has made headway, but more needs to be done in response to climate-linked migration.

In the next 30 years, climate change will shape South Africans’ lives in numerous ways. One of the most significant effects will be seen in accelerated urbanisation, as changing weather patterns drive more and more people to towns and cities. While responses to climate change are gaining momentum in South Africa, climate-linked migration is still severely under-recognised. Rapid urbanisation can pose significant development opportunities, but it also presents risks. To harness the potential of urbanisation and mitigate these risks, urgent action is needed.

About the author

Aimée-Noël Mbiyozo is a Senior Research Consultant at the Institute for Security Studies. She is a migration expert whose research covers a broad range of intersecting issues, including climate change, gender, refugee rights, violent extremism and citizenship in high-flow regions such as Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Photo: Amelia Broodryk/ISS