South Africa faces a number of environmental challenges that is likely to be further aggravated as the economy grows if natural resources are not properly managed and protected. These include emissions of local air pollutants that manifest in poor air quality with adverse impacts on society; excessive emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming (climate change); inappropriate land-use that results in land degradation; biodiversity loss and damage to terrestrial ecosystems; deteriorating water quality with severe impacts for South Africa as a water stressed nation and increased levels of solid waste generation comparable to many developed countries. Climate change is likely to lead not only to changes in the mean levels of temperatures and rainfall, but also to a significant increase in the variability of climate and in the frequency of extreme weather-related shocks.