Rudolf Gaiseb
The Earth’s average surface air temperature is projected to be significantly higher than pre-industrial levels, with April 2025 being the second-warmest April globally, at 1.51°C above the 1850-1900 average.
This is according to the Europe-based company Copernicus Climate Change Service.
To avert the worst impact of climate change and preserve a liveable planet, the United Nations (UN) suggests global temperature be limited to increases of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
With its net-zero initiative, the organisation has embarked on a journey to cut carbon emissions to a small number of residual emissions.
This can then be absorbed and durably stored by nature and other carbon dioxide removal measures, leaving zero carbon in the atmosphere.
As of June 2024, 107 countries, responsible for approximately 82% of global greenhouse gas emissions, adopted net-zero pledges in their policies and laws.
Namibia is one of these countries.
Namibia
Namibia revised and submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2021, signifying its commitment to the Paris Agreement goal of achieving net-zero emissions and carbon by 2050.
This commitment is reflected in the country’s updated NDC, which includes a 2030 goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 91%.
Industries, Mines and Energy spokesperson Fourie Nhoni recently told New Era of the ministry’s roadmap towards net zero and carbon neutrality.
“To meet the emission reduction goals, we have set aggressive plans to increase our share of renewable energy in the energy mix through various initiatives,” Nhoni said.
Whereas the updated NDC includes climate-friendly and energy-efficient refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC), low global warming potential (GWP) technology options, particularly with natural refrigerants, exist as an alternative to HFCs [chlorofluorocarbons] for almost any RAC appliance.
Storms
Then again, the State of the Climate in Africa report indicates that in 2024, Africa experienced a series of extreme weather events that had significant impacts across the continent.
“These climatic phenomena contributed to severe flooding in east Africa and the drought in southern Africa,” it reads.
Southern Africa experienced damaging drought conditions, particularly in Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
This drought impacted agriculture and led to significant food insecurity.
In March, Tropical Storm Filipo struck Inhambane province in Mozambique, resulting in fatalities and displacement.
In June, severe storms produced heavy rainfall and strong winds along South Africa’s eastern coast, particularly affecting the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.
These storms caused flooding, tornadoes and significant damage to infrastructure, resulting in multiple fatalities and displacing thousands of people.
Similarly, Namibia continues to grapple with drought across the country.
However, a series of flash floods earlier this year severely affected the northern and central parts of the country.
Lives were lost, homes destroyed, and some residents were displaced.
The latest reports agree that Africa emits 4% of the world’s greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane. These gases can trap heat in the atmosphere, resulting in global warming and a heightened temperature on the planet.
According to the emission index, Namibia produced 0.5% of these gases in 2021.
Framework
However, the Industries, Mines and Energy Ministry, says Namibia, has a clear framework to combat the climate crisis.
Nhoni said by accelerating its phase-out of HCFCs [hydrochlorofluorocarbons] while integrating climate-smart and energy-efficient alternatives, Namibia is not just eliminating harmful substances; it is also setting a global example for sustainable cooling solutions that support both economic growth and environmental resilience.
Meanwhile, the Ministry has phased out HCFCs, ozone-depleting substances, and built a robust refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) sector, developed skills for the sector, and supported businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in adopting technology transfer.
This includes establishing sustainable special economic zones and partnering development partners to assist businesses in transitioning to alternative technologies.
“The Ministry’s National Ozone Unit, through its implementing agencies, namely, UN Environment Programme and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit Proklima, has initiatives such as the Hydrochlorofluorocarbon Phase-out Management Plan and the Cooling Programme for Southern Africa (CooPSA) programmes which support businesses and SMEs to establish the supply chain for new air-conditioning (AC) units based on HC-290 [propane] and HFC-32 [difluoromethane], Nhoni highlighted.
The CooPSA project supports Namibia in introducing highly energy-efficient air conditioning systems, commonly referred to as ‘green ACs’, that use the natural refrigerant R290 through an incentive scheme.
The ministry says these units are not only more energy-efficient but also significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and by adopting this technology, Namibia is taking a major step towards its commitment to a greener and more sustainable future.
Significantly, training of refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) technicians is another component crucial for this project to ensure Namibia has a skilled labour force for safe handling of the R290 refrigerant.
This aspect is necessary for air conditioner importers to confidently distribute the green ACs with the knowledge that the country is endowed with capable RAC technicians and that the new technology will do no harm.
The bigger picture, however, is that commitments made by governments to date fall far short of what is required in the vision to reach net zero by 2025.
The UN maintains that to keep global warming to no more than 1.5°C, as called for in the Paris Agreement, emissions must be reduced by 43% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Getting to net zero requires all governments – first and foremost the biggest emitters – to significantly strengthen their NDCs and take bold, immediate steps towards reducing emissions now.
Namibia ratified the agreement in 2016.
To tackle climate change and its negative impacts, world leaders at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris took a leap forward on 12 December 2015: the momentous agreement.
The agreement includes commitments from all countries to reduce their emissions and work together to adapt to the impacts of climate change and calls on countries to strengthen their commitments over time.
It sets long-term goals to guide all nations to provide financing to developing countries to mitigate climate change, strengthen resilience and enhance abilities to adapt to climate impacts.
It also includes periodically assessing the collective progress towards achieving the purpose of this agreement and its long-term goals. The agreement is a legally binding international treaty. It came into force on 4 November 2016. Today, 195 Parties (194 states plus the European Union) have joined the Paris Agreement.
The UN highlights that the Paris Agreement provides a durable framework guiding the global effort for decades to come. It marks the beginning of a shift towards a net-zero emissions world. Implementation of the agreement is also essential for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
It outlines that in 2009, high-income countries with a significant historical contribution to climate change committed to raising US$100 billion every year by 2020 to fund climate action in low-income countries.
However, according to reports, for many years, this goal was not reached, and substantially more funding is now required to advance climate action with the urgency required. –rrgaiseb@gmail.com
Photo: Isabel Bento