Sustainability insights in South Africa (i.e. Environment, climate and nature insights, SA: 2026)

1.Summary of key findingsSouth Africa recorded one of its warmest years on record, ranking within the top ten since 1951 based on observations from 26 climate stations. The national annual mean temperature was approximately 0.4 °C above the 1991–2020 reference average. Long-term analysis indicates a statistically significant warming trend of about 0.17 °C per decade between 1951 and 2025.From 2012–2021, South Africa saw an estimated 4,500 heat-related deaths annually, 3 times as many as annually in 1990-1999.South Africa boasts the largest expanse of agricultural land on the African continent. Between 2000 and 2011, the extent of land used for crop…