Joburg’s Climate Action Plan webinars illuminate path to a resilient future
The Environment and Infrastructure Services Department’s (EISD) Climate Change Unit is actively engaged in disseminating knowledge and encouraging collective action toward achieving the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP). In the second of a series of webinars, which took place recently, the City continues to showcase its commitment to climate resilience and sustainability.
The overarching aim of these webinars is to acquaint Johannesburg residents and stakeholders with the CAP while exploring critical aspects of the plan. These sessions serve as platforms for knowledge exchange, sharing leadership experiences, and fostering joint efforts in pursuit of the City’s climate objectives.
The recent webinar was dedicated to the City’s resilience in the face of climate change. It delved into essential topics such as heatmapping, flood management, and urban tree planting initiatives.
Mzukisi Gwata, the Principal Specialist on Climate Change, presented the urban heat assessment study, which focused on creating science-based heat maps for both Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni metros.
Gwata says this study has a twofold objective. “The study aims to prioritise urban heat mitigation interventions and raise public awareness while involving local communities in data collection,” he explains.
One particularly notable revelation was the potential economic impact of the City’s adaptation plan. Gwata points out that it could support over 1.8 million jobs by 2023, with a substantial portion in sectors such as construction, energy, and sustainable transport.
“The adaptation plan has the potential to generate approximately 674,000 local jobs in cities, constituting 58% of the total, and investment in adaptation could add 705,000 sustainable jobs nationwide,” he says.
This commendable initiative is undertaken in partnership with Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA) and enjoys support from the UK PACT, which has been collaborating with South Africa since June 2020 to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable economy after the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The webinar featured several distinguished speakers, including Paul Mvulane, a PhD student with a focus on environmental change and sustainable development, Bheka Mbonambi, a Horticulturist participating in the Youth in Climate Robotics Project with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Nonhlanhla Radebe, a Project Coordinator at GenderCC specialising in gender-responsive climate action.
The discussions encompassed a wide array of topics, ranging from flood and drought management to supporting vulnerable communities, ensuring water security, resilient infrastructure, heatwave mapping, mobilising communities for climate resilience, and a case study on Alexandra’s vulnerability to flash floods, with a particular emphasis on the drivers and distribution of vulnerability.
The next and final webinar in this series will concentrate on energy management and will feature contributions from City Power officials. This session will delve into low-emission zones within the transport sector and the significance of green building practices in alignment with the Climate Action Plan.
“The City’s commitment to fostering a sustainable, climate-resilient future is clearly demonstrated through these webinars. They serve as a vital step towards achieving a greener and more resilient Johannesburg,” says Gwata.