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Climate Change
in South Africa
What's happening in your city
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You can help
make a change, lobby with your local government to make
positive changes in your city that will reduce climate
change.
Here's what happening in the major cities in South Africa
Durban
– a collaborative study between eThekwini and the CSIR has
looked at the potential long-term implications of climate
change on Durban. The report highlighted several issues,
such as sea level rises and coastal inundation, hotter
temperatures, changed rainfall and storm patterns as well as
reduction in drinking water supplies over the next 50 – 70
years. In terms of long-term planning for the city,
potential problems need to be quantified and provision made
in the cities future budgets. On the plus side, the
increasing demand for biofuels could make the sugarcane
harvest of great interest, and should result in biofuels
becoming part of the KwaZulu-Natal economy.
Johannesburg – the development of a Global City Region for Gauteng
in response to the National Spatial Development Framework,
is a strong strategic response to ensure that South Africa
and Gauteng continue to play a pivotal role in Africa’s
economy. Currently the Spatial Devleopment Framework for
Gauteng looks at increased road networks to connect
nodes of poverty in the province but stakeholder inputs in
terms of climate change may force the revival of rail
transport. The carbon costs of the continuing building and
development boom have not been factored into the Development
Framework or into the EIA framework. The Gauteng Department
of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment (GDACE) have a
draft Climate Change Framework currently being put
before the Premier for debate. Air quality and the
development of a framework for the NEMA Air Quality Act is
also a focus area for GDACE. And the Gautrain is hoped to
begin an era of efficient public transport, as the traffic
on the roads in Gauteng is becoming a hindrance to
commercial activity.
Cape Town – A Status Quo Vulnerability and Adaptation
Assessment of the Physical and Socio-Economic Effects of
Climate Change in the Western Cape has been drafted by
the province. The report of the study was launched at the
Sustainable Development Conference in June last year. Also,
during February 2006, a Western Cape Climate Change
Conference was held at Kirstenbosch and the outcome of the
conference initiated the drafting of the Terms of Reference
for the compilation of a Western Cape Climate Change
Response Strategy and Action Plan.
There is also an Integrated Energy Strategy for the Western
Cape to aid securing sources of cleaner, non-polluting and
renewable energy for future development in the region. An
Energy Risk Management Committee was set up to deal with the
current energy problems in the province and address the
issue of renewable energy as part of the medium to long-term
plans for energy security. The final draft Strategy will be
available soon for public comment. |
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