Conserving nature helps protect us against extreme weather
The health risks of the planet heating up, and at a quicker rate in Africa, include the faster spread of viruses such as Mpox and malaria, heat stroke, greater health risks to pregnant women and vulnerable groups, an increase in mental health conditions, and worse violence. Claire Keeton investigates the ways the world can adapt to the climate crisis
14 July 2024 - 00:00
When Cape Town is flooding and freezing, meeting city environmental officials at the False Bay Nature Reserve to talk about the health benefits it offers against heat and climate change seems at odds with the weather. But as the wind howls across the vlei, reserve manager and biodiversity co-ordinator Bongani Zungu says nature offers protection against both flooding and heatwaves. “The reserve reduces the risk of flooding into [the neighbouring suburb] of Grassy Park,” he says, pointing to dune strandveld vegetation around Zeekoevlei. Intact ecosystems absorb downpours better than brick...
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