The Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services in the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Mpho Moerane, is pleased to announce the City’s decision to approve the launch of the Climate Action Plan (CAP), which was unanimously approved by Council.
The Climate Action Plan is the City’s bold and ambitious contribution to fighting climate change by transitioning towards carbon neutrality and resilience by 2050, with solid targets for 2025, 2030 and
2040.
The plan’s approval comes hours before the City officially joins its international counterparts in celebrating Earth Hour on Saturday, 27 March 2021, under the theme “Climate Change to Save Earth”.
Not only is the Climate Action Plan compliant to the requirements of the Paris Agreement, it also reaffirms the City’s 2040 Growth and Development Strategy (GDS) vision for a resilient, liveable, sustainable urban environment, compatible with a healthy natural environment and underpinned by infrastructure that is supportive of a low-carbon economy.
The City of Johannesburg was the first city in South Africa to join C40 Climate Leadership Group in 2006 and has over the years demonstrated remarkable leadership in climate action. These actions range from green transport, renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable urban drainage systems and many other initiatives.
In the past, the City hosted the 2014 C40 Mayors Summit, the first of its kind on African soil, and won a Finance and Economic Development Award at the C40 Cities Awards of 2015 for its pioneering Green Bonds initiative.
MMC Moerane said: “The Climate Action Plan approval by Council solidifies the City of Johannesburg’s position as the first city among few global cities to have completed the development of a Paris Agreement-compliant Climate Action Plan that is endorsed by C40.
“We take pride in this achievement and seek to take this opportunity to officially celebrate this milestone towards the risk reduction of climate change impacts and carbon-neutral future, while at the same time improving the socio-economic status of the most vulnerable communities in the City.”
This year’s Earth Hour theme “Climate Change to Save Earth” is a global campaign that encourages households and businesses to switch off non-essential lights and appliances for one hour between 8:30pm and 9:30pm on Saturday. This symbolic gesture is targeted at raising awareness about climate change and the effect it has on the planet.
The Climate Action Plan focuses on 10 priority areas for action to tackle both adaptation (actions that minimise the effects of climate change) and mitigation (actions to limit climate change and its effects). To mitigate climate change impacts, the City will focus on affordable clean energy, optimising energy efficiency in buildings, green transport, improving waste management and water supply and treatment.
Action to adapt to climate impacts, will focus on addressing water security, promoting healthy communities, building flood and drought management approaches, developing resilient human settlements and resilient infrastructure. The City has incorporated the Climate Action Plan in its draft Integrated Development Plans (IDP) that is out for public consultation. This will help with mainstreaming of the Climate Action Plan in business planning and budgeting processes of the City. This will foster implementation by various City Departments and Entities. This Climate Action Plan also presents itself as a green recovery plan that will help the City build back better after the devastating impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, while addressing issues pertaining to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Climate Action Plan will be publicly launched in April 2021, in line with celebrations around global Earth Day, under the theme, “to Restore Our Earth”.
The report will be available on the City’s website (www.joburg.org.za) on or before 30 April for the City’s residents to read and identify meaningful contributions that they can make towards the implementation of the Climate Action Plan.
For more information contact:
Stanley Itshegetseng
Deputy Director: Communication and stakeholder relations
Office of the MMC – EISD
Cell: 0837024778
