Evaluating synergies and disparities in South Africa’s disaster and climate governance frameworks

As climate-related risks intensify on a global scale, there is an increasing acknowledgment of the necessity for harmonized legal frameworks that integrate disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation (CCA), and sustainable development. In South Africa, this imperative is particularly pressing due to the nation’s high exposure to both sudden-onset and slow-onset hazards. The recent enactment of the Climate Change Act 22 of 2024 represents a significant policy advancement, complementing the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 and aligning domestic legislation with the international Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. This study sought to identify areas of synergy, misalignment, and legal fragmentation among these three instruments, providing insights into how integrated governance could enhance South Africa’s capacity for coordinated disaster response and climate resilience. Employing thematic document analysis, the study critically examined these three documents to systematically identify patterns of convergence and divergence across nine governance dimensions. The analysis revealed substantive synergies in multi-hazard planning, institutional coordination, and stakeholder inclusion, which collectively establish a baseline for cross-sectoral alignment. However, significant disparities remain. The Sendai Framework, while strategic and comprehensive, is a non-binding global instrument, whereas the DMA and CCA operate under domestic legislative authority. Institutional arrangements differ markedly: the DMA mandates the establishment of disaster-specific centers, while the CCA introduces climate-specific governance bodies. Furthermore, the DMA lacks provisions related to climate adaptation, in contrast to the CCA’s detailed obligations. Monitoring and evaluation approaches also diverge, resulting in disjointed metrics and fragmented reporting systems. These findings highlight the necessity for legislative harmonization to address implementation gaps and enhance institutional coherence. The study therefore advocates for policy alignment, integrated planning, and regulatory reform to foster coherence across DRR and climate governance frameworks. It is recommended that South Africa pursues a unifying legal architecture capable of translating global commitments into actionable national policies, thereby strengthening resilience and ensuring more effective disaster and climate governance.