The project focus is on the secondary impacts that climate change could have on the South African economy, related to areas such as regulatory reform, changes in trade relations and consumer preferences, through to emergent commercial opportunities in low carbon products and services.

The project does not consider direct physical impacts from climate change (such as temperature increases, increased propensity for flooding and wild fire, as well as sea level rise) and how these altered climatic conditions could impact on South Africa. It is acknowledged that these direct impacts could have a significant impact on South Africa’s economy, and that effective adaptation responses are required to reduce national vulnerabilities in this regard.