Justicia Shipena
Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) chief executive officer Benedict Libanda has called for urgent and coordinated action to strengthen the country’s resilience to climate-induced disasters.
He warned that the country faces some of the most severe climate vulnerabilities in the world.
Libanda said Namibia’s arid conditions and fragile ecosystems make it highly vulnerable to rising global temperatures.
“Cereal and livestock production could decline by at least ten percent, and the number of extremely hot days will increase by an additional twenty-one each year,” Libanda warned during the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction commemoration in Windhoek on Monday.
He said a worst-case scenario of a 3°C rise by the end of the century would have devastating consequences, including more frequent droughts, unpredictable floods, and severe pressure on water and food security.
Libanda said the situation calls for proactive measures.
“We are determined to move from crisis response to proactive resilience-building. We are determined to do business in an unusual way with innovation, inclusion, and impact at the heart of what we do,” he said.
At the same event, prime minister Elijah Ngurare urged disaster management stakeholders to ensure that every household is equipped with a fire extinguisher to help reduce the risk of damage during fire-related emergencies.
“And that is, let us be deliberate and ensure every household has a fire extinguisher. Not the big brigade, but just something that can extinguish fire in the hour that it strikes,” he said.
Ngurare encouraged local authorities and partners to take immediate action.
“If it costs $10, let’s budget for $10—at least to begin with 10 houses. It helps us a lot. Whilst we know the problem and we wait for the time for Jesus to come and help us, we can help ourselves,” he said.
He said the initiative should begin in Windhoek and extend to informal settlements nationwide.
Windhoek mayor Ndeshihafela Larandja stressed the need for risk-informed investment, noting that investing in resilience significantly reduces recovery costs.
The commemoration was hosted by the office of the prime minister in collaboration with the City of Windhoek, the Environmental Investment Fund, and other development partners.
This year’s event was held under the theme “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters.”
Disasters are becoming more frequent, costly, and destructive. The Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2025 estimates that while direct losses now average $202 billion annually, the real cost could be as high as $2.3 trillion.
Despite these growing impacts, investment in disaster risk reduction remains low across national budgets and international aid.
This year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction called for stronger financial commitment to prevention rather than recovery.
According to Kamal Kishore, the UN secretary general’s special representative for disaster risk reduction, the rising scale of disasters is linked not only to extreme weather events but also to poor, risk-blind investments that heighten exposure and vulnerability.
Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989, the day serves as a global reminder of the need to build resilience, reduce disaster risks, and strengthen preparedness in communities worldwide.
Caption
Namibia commemorated International Disaster Risk Reduction Day in Windhoek, calling for stronger national resilience against climate threats.
- Photo: City of Windhoek
