Walvis Bay – Do Not Panic!

WALVIS BAY – Residents of Walvis Bay will have to relocate. The port will cease to operate, while businesses will have to close their doors. Billions of dollars will be lost on municipal infrastructures such as roads, water and sewer systems and property will be destroyed while food scarcity and contaminated water is expected to claim thousands of lives.

This is the ominous scenario sketched in a presentation that was done at the United Nations Habitat Summit in Pretoria two weeks ago, about the future of coastal cities such as Walvis Bay in the event of advanced polar ice melting.

In a media briefing with the municipal and regional council members and municipal officials on Wednesday, the Senior Human Settlements Officer of the UN, Dr David Kithakye, said effects of climate change such as rising sea levels and changing weather patterns are often portrayed as “doomsday warnings”.

“These things could happen, climate change is a reality but why should we wait for the worst to happen when we could prepare ourselves now by setting mechanisms in place to adapt or counter these changes? Our environment has always been discussed by others. It is time that we in Africa begin to discuss these issues among ourselves. Africa has the smallest pollution footprint, yet we are the ones feeling the effects of developed world’s impact on the environment.”

Kithakye noted that Walvis Bay has been chosen as one of seven African coastal cities to investigate and come up with the best-suited action plans to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“Your solutions must be based on your understanding of your own environment and conditions. You should not view these projections as doomsday warnings, but rather scenarios that call for action now. The sea level is rising and it will continue to do so. This is a natural phenomenon that has been accelerated by human impact. You should not sit back and wait for the worst to happen, but you must ask yourself how Walvis Bay is going to adapt or mitigate its effects now. Does this mean relocation or high barrier walls or another innovative solution? You will find the answers among yourselves. We want that profiling from you within the next 12 months,” urged UN officer.

“You don’t need to panic when it comes to climate change. I am here to try and remove fear in all of us. You must do something now. The impact is on food security, when there is no rain there is also no food. Dhaka in Bangladesh will disappear completely; if you think carefully then Walvis Bay will not disappear. You have what it takes to identify the future of Walvis Bay,” he said.

Namibia has been ranked 26 out of 29 countries in sub-Saharan Africa most affected by climate change. It is predicted that neap and spring tides could raise sea levels with by than a metre at some places along the Namibian coast. Of the four larger coastal settlements, Walvis Bay is the most vulnerable as described by many as “soft-hearted”. With accelerated melting of polar ice, the rising sea levels could cause a permanent breach in the Pelican Point sand bank, exposing Walvis Bay and the harbour to higher waves. The fact that Walvis Bay lies below sea level means that the port city could be flooded as far as the first line of dunes behind the Prison Services buildings, the worst scenario study showed.

Kithakye is calling on the mayor to identify her team so that the UN Habitat can source them as what he termed “climate change conscious town within a year to come”.

“We have already seen places that are often dry suddenly experience torrential rains. Not all these weather and seismological changes, however, will be dramatic. Some might start very slowly or unnoticeably. The worst effect of climate change will be on food security and water sources. It is therefore of vital importance that communities monitor their environments continuously. Early warning systems should be devised. Action plans to adapt and mitigate must be created, while communities must be made aware of the possible changes,” Kithakye said.

Moreover, he noted, the Kyoto Protocol will end in 2012. Various countries will meet in Copenhagen from next month to draw up a new guideline for dealing with environmental issues such climate change.

(source)