2009-12-15:Mayor Masondo calls for agreement on climate change
Johannesburg’s Executive Mayor, Clr Amos Masondo, has joined other major cities in a call on world governments to take decisive steps to avert global warming.
A statement signed by Mayors of the world and presented to the climate change conference in Copenhagen calls for specific support from industrialised nations to Africa, as the continent most at risk in the case of an ecological disaster.
Some of the signatories to the statement are Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Amos Masondo, the Mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, Bertrand Delanoë, of Paris, Kadir Topbas of Istanbul, Daisaku Kadokawa of Kyoto, Antonio Costa of Lisbon, Amazonino Mendes of Manaus, Simon Compaore of Ouagadougou, Eduardo Paes of Rio De Janeiro, Sten Nordin of Stockholm, Ron Huldai of Tel Aviv and Michael Häupl of Vienna.
Mayor Masondo is attending the Copenhagen summit as part of the delegation of United Cities and Local Government (UCLG) an umbrella organisation representing the interest of more than 1 000 cities in 120 countries. He is currently the co-president of the UCLG.
The joint statement acknowledges the fact that cities are responsible for the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions through traffic, industrial activities, lack of isolation in buildings and public lighting. However, because of the number of people living in cities they will also most affected by the impact of global warming.
It calls for a “clear commitment” from the industrialised nations to meet the targets on global warming by 2050. It congratulates president Barack Obama for changing the position of America on the issue and also notes that China and India and Brazil have committed themselves to meet their obligations by 2020.
All countries, irrespective of their size or level of industrial development, should take joint responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions.
The statement calls for the creation of a global environmental organisation to monitor the progress made by national governments in meeting their climate change targets. The Copenhagen conference is the first step in reaching agreements that will enable future generations to live a pollution-free world.
Issued on behalf of the City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor: Clr Amos Masondo
For more information contact:
Nkhensani Makhobela
Spokesperson for the Executive Mayor
Private Office of the Executive Mayor
City of Johannesburg
Tel: +27 11 407 7524
Fax: +27 11 381 9982
Fax: +27 11 339 5704
Mobile: 082 461 7075
e-mail: nkhensanima@joburg.org.za
