President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has warned that rising sea levels pose a growing threat to Namibia’s coastal infrastructure and marine economy, particularly at the strategic Walvis Bay harbour.
Speaking at the high-level plenary meeting on the existential threats posed by sea-level rise in New York on Thursday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said sea levels rising was no longer a distant projection but a present and accelerating reality.
She said the Walvis Bay harbour, located one to three metres above the mean sea level, serves as a gateway to regional and international markets and is increasingly exposed to climate-related risks.
“Rising sea levels affect our transport infrastructure, marine resources, biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal communities,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia’s marine ecosystem, supported by the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem, underpins the country’s fisheries sector and contributes to the gross domestic product, food security and foreign exchange.
However, rising ocean temperatures, changing ocean chemistry, shifting fish stocks and declining marine productivity threaten the sector’s sustainability, she said.
Despite contributing only 0.01% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Namibia remains vulnerable to climate change and faces increasing pressure on public finances and climate-resilience investments.
The president called for substantial investment in coastal protection and climate-resilient infrastructure to safeguard trade, investment, employment and competitiveness.
She also called for greater international climate finance, adaptation funding and adequate resources for the loss and damage fund.
“Climate justice must ensure that countries with the greatest contribution to climate change should scale-up and support economies that contribute the least,” she said.
