CLIMATE CHANGE: A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE - Dineo Mogakane and the Biodiversity Stewardship DEFF Environmental Monitors (EMs)

On the 21^st of June 2019 the Association for Water and Rural Development (AWARD) together with the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region (K2C BR) held training on Climate Change to educate the current Department of Environmental Affairs Forestry and Fisheries funded EMs on Climate Change and its effects on Human life, Agriculture and the Environment. The EMs were given a chance to participate and engage in some activities to help them to better understand the concept and impact of Climate Change. 

From these activities the EMs identify the effects in which Climate Change has on their areas from the previous years to currently, by comparing changes in temperature and rainfall. Graphs were drafted and it was clear that the months in which we used to experience rainfall were shifted and also minimised whilst for temperature it was found that the temperature levels were excessively increasing over time reaching day temperatures of up to 45°C, resulting in many issues in the environment, economy and human health.

Growing up we used swim in our rivers, dams and even streams because this places were filled with clean water. Our domestic animals used to have enough water to drink, enough green grazing areas and we used to experience rain throughout the rainy season and going to bed on an empty stomach was more or less of a choice because nature was providing us with all the resources we needed to sustain our livelihoods.

But suddenly, as time went by things started to change, our rivers, streams and dams became dry, our rainy seasons turned into long hot dry seasons, our animals started dying because of shortage of water and grazing land. We never knew or understood what was happening or the cause of some of these issues, until the opportunity to attend the Climate Change training that opened our eyes. We are now aware of this issue of Climate Change and we will start playing our part in the reduction of these climate change crises in our communities. 

It is therefore the duty of each and every one of us to make sure that we try by all means to protect our planet and not only for our future generation but also for ourselves because it is already affecting us. It might take time, but the message will be spread.