Transcript cape metropolitan council

City of Cape Town
Cape Town: Setting a path towards sustainability
Presentation to Botswana delegation: 11 June 2012
City of Cape Town: World Bio
and Heritage Hotspot
• Two Biospheres
• Two World Heritage Sites
• One National Park
• 261 biodiversity sites of
special value
• 3000 floral spp
Critical environmental
challenges facing
Cape Town (1)
• The great poverty divide
• Inequitable, inefficient City
• Unsustainable transport network
• HIV-AIDS and TB pandemics
Critical environmental
challenges facing
Cape Town (2)
• Pressure on land [conservation vs urbanisation]
• Invasive vegetation
• Water scarcity and accessibility
• Institutional capacity
What is “environment” in the CCT?
Natural environment
Built environment
Socio-cultural environment
The way these three elements fit and work together creates the
environment we live in.
Integrated Metropolitan Environmental Policy
• First environmental policy for
Cape Town
• Based on the principles of
sustainable development
• Milestone for environmental
management in the City of
Cape Town
IMEP Brochure
IMEP Principles
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Adopting approaches to sustainable development
Holistic approach to environment
Protecting unique biodiversity
Meeting requirements of international, national and
provincial environmental legislation
• Responsible stewardship of resources with local
government’s charge
• Inherent rights of all living creatures
• Commitment to partnerships with civil society
Integrated Metropolitan Environmental Mngt. Strategy
Implementation
through the IDP
Implementation
through the IDP
Detailed Sectoral Strategies
Noise Pollution
Emission Targets
Sectoral Approaches
Environmental
Governance
Air
Tools
Ukuvuka:
Operation
Firestop
State of
Environment
Reporting
Water
Resources
Soils
Fauna and
Flora
Environmental
Impact
Assessment
General
environmental
policy principles
Environmental
Education
Cultural
Heritage
Significance
Mapping
Safety and
Security
Medical Waste
Strategy
Environmental
Integrated
Environmental Education
Management
IMEP
Environmental
Risk
Assessment
Coastal Zone
Strategy
Local
Agenda 21
Environmental
Management
Systems
Environmental
Health
Economy
Cost
Benefit
Analysis
Renewable
Energy
Waste
Best Practice
Environmental
Option
Urbanisation
and Housing
Transportation
Energy
Infrastructure
Biodiversity
Strategy
Implementation
through the IDP
Quality Urban
Spaces
Implementation
through the IDP
IMEP Tool:
State of the Environment (SoE) Report
• Environmental pressures,
state and responses
• Indicators of sustainability
• 15 sectoral approaches
Year 3 (2000) SoE Report
Year 2 (1999) SoE Report
IMEP Tool:
Environmental Significance Mapping
GIS map of the environmentally significant areas of the CMA
Includes:
terrestrial,
marine,
aquatic,
heritage resources,
social,
visual and
geophysical layers
GIS sample screen
• Widely distributed for use and comment
• Refined and updated on a regular basis
IMEP Tool:
Integrated Environmental
Management (IEM)
• City’s compliance with
the EIA regulations
• IEM procedures
• Contextual IEM
Guidelines
IMEP Implementation / Metrowide policy & legislative integration:
Development Control contd...
• Outdoor Advertising By-law
• Cellmast Policy
Communication mast
Outdoor Advertising
From Agenda to Action
8 implementation strategies in
2 years
• Biodiversity
• Coastal Zone Management
• Energy
• Environmental Education
From Agenda to Action
8 implementation strategies in
2 years (continued)
• Air pollution
• Noise pollution
• Special open places
• Litter and waste
Emphasis on Poverty
Improve local environments
and open spaces through
community partnerships,
emphasizing vulnerable
sectors of society
IMEP Implementation / Metrowide strategy:
Biodiversity
Conservation of Cape Flats Flora
• 261 sites of important
biodiversity
• Outcomes-based education
poster and Teacher’s Guide
• Exhibition and pamphlet
production
Set of 4 posters
Core Sites map
IMEP Implementation / Metrowide strategy:
Coastal Zone Management
• Coastal Zone definition
• State of the Coast report
• Draft Coastal Zone strategy
presented for comment
• Integrated coastal restoration
projects
• Sustainable Coastal
Management Plans
• Blue Flag Beaches
IMEP Implementation / Metrowide strategy:
Environmental Education
and Training
IMEP REVIEW: Key Findings
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Cape Town’s environmental quality remains under pressure and
continues to decline
a. Resource use and consumption is increasing while our ability
and that of the environment to absorb the waste is decreasing
b. Natural landscapes and biodiversity are under increasing threat
and pressure
c. Inequalities in social living environments are increasing as is the
demand on aging infrastructure
Key Recommendations and Implementation
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Long Term Development Plan
The City should develop a strong, single, long-term development plan to
which it remains committed and within which it prioritizes its natural assets.
Institutional Accountability and Responsibility
This should be achieved through the establishment of formal Service Level
Agreements for each sector, aligned with environmental strategies.
Build environmental capacity within line functions through the SLAs, and
Internal Staff Capacity Building and Training Programmes.
Key Recommendations and Implementation
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Organisational Commitment
Lead by example
City commitment to reduce its own resource consumption and improve
resource efficiencies by at least 30%
Environmental Governance and Reporting
The establishment of clear mechanisms to ensure that the decision making
process within the City of Cape Town is accountable and adheres to agreed
sustainability principles and goals. E.g. Environmental evaluation of all major
City projects as part of the approval process.
The City’s Approach to Climate Change
Climate Adaptation Plan of Action
Outlines sector-based adaptation interventions
Some are already taking place
Some are planned
Some require further investigation and research
Approach has been two-fold
To examine climate-related vulnerability within the city & develop adaptation programmes around
these
To workshop climate projections with specific sectors to establish a range of potential impacts,
identify areas of vulnerability, and possible adaptation interventions
ALSO
Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
Coastal Protection Zone and Sea Level Rise Study
Promotion of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems
A dynamic process of adaptation, learning and action
The City’s Approach to Climate Change
Conserving highly valuable ecosystem services
Healthy ecosystems have been globally
recognised as critical in resilience &
adaptation planning:
- buffering climate shocks & extreme weather
events
- key to retaining critical resources - water and
food production
- economic value in preventing losses
The City’s Approach to Climate Change
Climate Smart Cape Town
Promote Cape Town as leading city
in addressing climate change;
Promote climate change literacy
amongst Capetonians;
Facilitate hosting key events in
Cape Town linked to COP 17
Posters ; performance and art
Banners ; exhibitions
Articles in media; radio interviews
Social media ; Green Map
Social surveys
Carrotmob
Intervention at COP 17
City of CT – Position on Climate Change
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We are all in this together –our response must be collective effort from
government, business and civil society.
Climate change is not an environmental issue – it is a socio- economic one
at the core of government planning
Energy underpins our lives, our economy and our future. Urgent priority introduction of renewable sources and increase energy efficiency
No more ‘business as usual’ - urgent need to implement adaptation plans
to reduce the City’s risk to a changed climate, avert disaster and protect our
economy and communities.
Climate change demands strong, bold leadership at government,
business and community levels, that leads by determining development path
founded on resilience, sustainability and a green economy.
We need to trust science. Even though at best open to variability, we have
no other reliable information to guide us at this critical time.
Climate change - opportunity to build a green economic sector
promoting growth and job creation and based on renewable energy, better
public transport and protection of coastline, ecosystems, natural spaces and
service infrastructure
Slide 25
WSSD, Rio + 20 and beyond
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Toward an integrated sustainable future
Integration across silos
Local Agenda 21 to Local Action 21
Embracing partnerships
World strategy to protect GCGs
Pledges and Declarations