Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah warns of sea-level threats to Namibia

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for an ambitious and adequately financed global response to rising sea levels, addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York. She emphasized that sea-level rise is an accelerating reality that threatens lives, ecosystems, and sustainable development.

Nandi-Ndaitwah specifically highlighted the vulnerability of Namibia’s coastal infrastructure, including the strategic Walvis Bay harbour, which sits only one to three metres above mean sea level. The rising oceans pose risks to transport infrastructure, marine resources, and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

The President noted that Namibia’s marine ecosystem, supported by the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem, is vital for the fisheries sector, food security, and foreign exchange. However, changing ocean chemistry, rising temperatures, and shifting fish stocks threaten this sector's sustainability. Despite Namibia contributing only 0.01% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the nation faces significant pressure on public finances to fund climate-resilience investments.

Nandi-Ndaitwah advocated for climate justice, stating that countries with the largest contributions to climate change must scale up support for economies that contribute the least. She urged for increased international climate finance, adaptation funding, and the adequate resourcing of the Loss and Damage Fund.