Climate change does not affect everyone in the same way. Climate impacts: droughts, floods, storms and heat, deepen the cracks of inequality. There is a compounding that happens when adding layers of vulnerability and marginalisation. Women, most often responsible for care work, feeding families and in remote areas, for water collection, already shoulder the effects of a changing climate.

How might such a methodology contribute towards deepening empathy and building public discourse around climate adaptation?

Adaptation requires innovation and creativity. Life itself is inherently creative – always moving and adapting to thrive and survive in changing circumstances.

As climate change reshapes our landscapes, South Africans confront an uncertain future marked by increasing frequency of extreme weather events—floods, droughts, and unpredictable storms—that threaten not only livelihoods but also food security.

If we think deeply about what is important with climate adaptation, we recognise that collaboration is essential. Collaboration, community and a collective spirit are ideas and practices that we will need to embrace more fully as we adapt to inevitable shifts in our environment and the world around us.