Botswana stands among the African nations grappling intensely with the relentless effects of climate change. From the blistering heatwaves of 2024 to the lingering shadows of a devastating drought, the nation now faces erratic and unpredictable rainfall patterns that disrupt lives and livelihoods.
One of the hardest-hit regions is the Okavango Delta, Botswana’s renowned jewel of natural beauty and a cornerstone of its tourism industry. By November 2023, water levels in the lower Okavango Delta, particularly along the Boro and Thamalakane river systems, had dwindled to the point of complete dryness, a crisis that persisted into early 2024.
Tourism in the Okavango Delta represents a significant portion of Botswana’s GDP, with roughly 100,000 visitors annually flocking to around 60 camps and lodges. This influx is vital to the local economy and the broader region’s prosperity.
The World Health Organization (WHO) underscores how climate change accelerates humanitarian crises worldwide, driving more frequent and severe heatwaves, wildfires, floods, tropical storms, and hurricanes. It warns that 3.6 billion people already reside in areas highly vulnerable to these climate impacts. The WHO projects that between 2030 and 2050, climate change could cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths annually, due to undernutrition, malaria, diarrhoea, and heat stress alone.
In Botswana, Statistics Botswana reports that 44.5 percent of households are led by women, with an average head-of-household age of 47.6 years. Female-headed households tend to be larger than those led by men, highlighting the particular social dynamics at play.
Among those affected is Gosegonna Phefolo, a 47-year-old resident of the Morutsha settlement in NG32 within the Okavango Delta. Phefolo runs a canoe transport business, ferrying tourists to camps and islands across the delta. As a mother of five and the primary breadwinner, her partner remains unemployed, she has relied on this work to sustain her family.
“Before the river went dry, I could make around P380 a day per ride. But since the rivers dried up and tourists vanished, I had to join Ipelegeng just to earn a living and provide for my children,” she shared.
Ipelegeng is an unemployment relief program offering short-term work for a maximum of one month, with the option to reapply. Supervisors earn P701 monthly, while laborers receive P617.
Phefolo lamented the absence of support from government or organizations during this crisis. “We only received help during COVID-19 through food hampers and small groceries; no one came to assist when the water dried up.”
Despite these hardships, Phefolo holds onto hope. She anticipates the upcoming winter season, peak tourism time at the delta, will revive her business and allow her to better provide for her family after two difficult years.
In a conversation with the Weekend Post, Tshepiso Masilonyane, Program Manager at the Botswana Climate Change Network (BCCN), emphasized the country’s acute vulnerability to climate change. Botswana’s semi-arid environment exacerbates these challenges, he explained, exposing the country to frequent and intense shocks: cycles of severe drought followed by devastating floods.
Water scarcity and drought have become defining features of Botswana’s climate reality. Rising temperatures combined with below-average rainfall have intensified drought conditions, lowered water tables, and strained urban water supplies. The government declared 2023-2024 an “extreme agricultural drought year,” a designation that threatens food security and has already caused livestock deaths.
Masilonyane also highlighted the growing unpredictability of rainfall, which, when it does come, can unleash severe flooding. In February 2025, floods displaced over 5,000 people, disrupted access to clean water, healthcare, and schooling, and caused multiple fatalities, particularly among children. Rapid urbanization and inadequate drainage systems, especially in places like Gaborone, have worsened the floods’ impact.
He stressed that supporting farmers through drought requires a blend of long-term resilience-building and immediate relief measures. Crucial strategies include water management, soil health preservation, and ensuring financial stability.
BCCN has launched initiatives to amplify the voices of vulnerable groups, including the Gender Network on Climate Change. This program seeks to integrate women, especially those in marginalized communities, into climate discussions, projects, and decision-making while enhancing their knowledge and capacity. Similarly, the Youth Network on Climate Change, established in 2019, fosters a robust youth movement nationwide, ensuring young people’s perspectives influence policies that directly affect their futures.
At the inaugural child rights conference hosted by the Child Rights Network of Southern Africa (CRNSA) in 2023, child rights scholar Dr. Musa Chibwana called urgently for climate justice, urging wealthy nations to shoulder greater responsibility for mitigating climate change’s impacts.
Chibwana painted a stark picture: drought-stricken areas in Africa have seen school enrollment drop by 20%, and by 2050, an estimated 143 million people across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia will be forced to migrate permanently due to climate disruptions.
“The call for climate justice is a plea for fairness and equity in addressing the impacts of climate change. Children born in 2020 should not bear the burden of a crisis they did not create. Wealthy countries must take responsibility for their contributions to global warming and actively work to mitigate its effects. It is time for the international community to unite and prioritize the well-being of future generations. Only through collective action can we secure a sustainable and just future for all,” Chibwana asserted.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism echoed this sentiment, acknowledging Botswana’s minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions even as its communities, ecosystems, and economy suffer from worsening droughts, rising temperatures, and erratic rainfall.
“While Botswana’s emissions are negligible, our people bear the brunt of climate change’s harshest impacts,” the Ministry stated.
They emphasized their active role in international climate forums, particularly under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), where Botswana champions the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). This principle underpins their push for justice, equity, and meaningful support for Batswana.
“Our advocacy is deliberate and focused on tangible outcomes: securing grant-based climate finance and enabling genuine technology transfer,” the Ministry explained.
They wield the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities both as a shield and a spear in international climate diplomacy.
“We remain resolute in negotiations to ensure Botswana’s development is not hindered by a climate crisis we did not cause, but rather supported by the global community in line with its undeniable historical responsibilities.”