When it comes to fighting for a sustainable future, the world’s cities are “critical battlegrounds” and more important than ever to making multilateralism work for all, said UN chief António Guterres to the United Nations Habitat Assembly on Monday. The Assembly runs through Thursday in Nairobi, Kenya. It is hosted by the government of Kenya in collaboration with UN-Habitat, … [Read more...]
Cape Town launches R1,2bn solar plant project
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced that the City will design, build, and operate a R1,2 billion solar PV plant with battery storage capable of providing up to a full stage of load-shedding protection. This is one of two projects awarded support from the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF), which offers cities technical and financial assistance in support of a … [Read more...]
Municipalities can play a key role in resolving the energy gap
South Africa’s energy shortage is having a profound impact on its cities. Economic growth and jobs continue to be affected at a time when cities urgently need to recover from the COVID-19 crisis to retain their competitiveness and attractiveness. Craig Kesson, PwC South Africa Advisory Partner and Cities Leader, says: “Resolving the energy shortfall requires a collective … [Read more...]
Cities lead the way on sustainable mobility
Often referred to as the “greenest city in the world,” Curitiba, Brazil, has long been held as a model for urban sustainability due to its green space, recycling programs, environmental education – and especially its extensive system of dedicated-lane bus rapid transit. But what of the buses themselves? As of 2020, only 4 percent of Curitiba’s buses were hybrid and none were … [Read more...]
Cape Town receives certificates for energy smart buildings
The City of Cape Town is proud to announce that it has received Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for three of its municipal buildings. We can only manage what we measure, so EPCs are a critical first step to reducing our energy use. The City is the first in South Africa to achieve this feat. This is good news for customers as more resource efficient facilities make … [Read more...]
Cape Town pushing ‘ambitious’ climate agenda
Cape Town's green projects have to deliver benefits to the poor and create jobs, said the City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille, at the Cape Town Climate Change Coalition last week. The forum includes role players from the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Government, civil society and business to discuss collective actions needed to address climate change … [Read more...]
Achieving practical sustainable goals for South Africa
We have constantly been made aware of the dangers of climate change in recent years, as global temperatures continue to rise and natural disasters affect human settlement more frequently. The dialogue of world leaders repeatedly emphasises the need to focus on the development of a green economy to ensure the wellbeing of our planet. In working towards achieving the county’s … [Read more...]
Green entrepreneurs make magic with trees and waste
Improving your life whilst greening your environment is a match made in heaven. The Acornhoek community in rural Mpumalanga show us how it's done. The northeast of South Africa is home to some of its best-visited tourist attractions. On the one side is Kruger National Park and the upmarket, private game lodges that surround it. On the other there’s God’s Window and the … [Read more...]
Beyond the rubble, through the cracks
For years I have been passing by an old, roofless house on my route to work. Despite my hurried scramble to the office, I would always look out for her. Sad, abandoned and enigmatic, she has intrigued me. The romantic in me has, for years, been drawn to the poignant, abandoned beauty of this stoic, red brick structure with pink tibouchina bursting through the front veranda. … [Read more...]
Poo issues in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village
Ecoli in the Sir Lowrys Pass river and hence the ocean at Gordons Bay is an issue that activists from the Helderberg are now fed-up with. Squatter camps in the village are suffering from a shortage of proper sanitation and sufficient waste disposal, so the river is used to dump unwanted things into. The City of Cape Town responded with the folllowing statement by the Mayoral … [Read more...]
Partnerships drive the plastic recycling industry to success
“The focus of waste management in South Africa is changing. No longer is the emphasis on the disposal of waste, but rather on avoiding its generation and minimizing and recycling the waste stream wherever possible.” This was the key message conveyed by Lisa Parkes, Marketing Manager of PETCO, at a workshop held during Wastecon in Somerset West this month. “The law … [Read more...]
SA’s green economy transforms bottom lines
South Africa's fast emerging green economy is driven by factors such as radical cost savings, brand differentiation, sustainable futures, skills attraction and retention. Driving its uptake is business, particularly multinational companies (MNCs), which – through its global nature and the interconnectedness of markets – is harnessing green principles to do good and boost … [Read more...]
Home composting project reveals impressive results
The results of the City’s home composting project was at a WasteCon presentation. The roll-out of composting containers for residents to use at their homes, as well as education on how to use them, resulted in the diversion of significant amounts of organic waste from landfill sites. This was was met with enthusiasm from all areas where it was tested. As such, it is … [Read more...]
