Transcript Document

Climate Change in the context of
Sustainable Development
Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Provincial Government of the Western Cape
Republic of South Africa
Dipolelo Elford
Western Cape Context
• 5.3 Million citizens, 90% live in cities and towns
• Growing economy and lower unemployment rate than
national average
• Home to two Biodiversity Hotspots – Cape Floristic
Region and Succulent Karoo
• Western Cape is an important tourist destination. In
2002/03 foreign direct investment from tourism =
>R550 million
• Bordered by >1000km of coastline
• Energy security – key economic concern
Sustainable Development Imperative
• Vision
- A sustainable home for all – now and forever
• Sustainable Development Declaration
• Sustainable Development Implementation Plan
- Will be achieved through implementing
integrated governance systems that promote
economic growth in a manner that contributes to
greater social equity and that maintains the
ongoing capacity of the natural environment to
provide the ecological services upon which
socio-economic development depends
Sustainable Development in the Province
• Challenge: Balancing economic growth and
environmental integrity
• Western Cape Provincial Growth and
Development Strategy (PGDS) recognises
that growth must take place within a
sustainable development framework
• The SDIP is one of several provincial
strategies and plans that seeks to give
expression to the Province’s vision of shared
growth and integrated development.
Sustainable Development
Challenges
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Economic Development
Human Settlements
Energy and Climate Change
Water and Waste
Biodiversity and Natural Resource
Management
• Governance
6 Thematic Areas of SDIP
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Biodiversity and Natural Resources
Energy and Climate Change
Sustainable Human Settlements
Sustainable Transport
Waste Management
Water Use and Management
Sustaible Development
Strategic context
International
Obligations
National
Strategic Obj’s
Agenda 21
WSSD
(JPoI, GD)
Social
Int. Conventions
& Protocols
Economic
Environmental
W.Cape’s
Strategic Obj’s
iKapa Elihlumayo
Sustainable Development
Strategic Context
• 1992: UN Conference on Environment and Development
• 2002: World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)
• 2002 Gauteng Declaration on the Role of Regional
Governments in Sustainable Development
• Western Cape Growth and Development Framework
• iKapa elihlumayo Strategies
• Integrated Development Planning
• 2007: Western Cape Sustainable Development
Implementation Plan
• 2007: Western Cape Climate Change Response strategy and
Action Plan
PROVINCIAL CONTEXT
Transport
SIP
Economic
Development
MEDS
Sustainable
Development
Urban/Spatial
development
PSDF
Key Growth
Drivers for the
Province
Environmental
Sustainable
Development
PGDS
& Planning
Investment
The Western Cape Province
Namaqualand
Dry
Moist
NOT ALL
DISTRICTS WILL
BE AFFECTED
Mountains
THE SAME BY
CLIMATE
Coastal
plain
CHANGE
Great Karoo
Mountains
Little Karoo
Mountains
Cape
Town
Garden Route
Coastal plain
Moist
Key Predictions about Climate Change in the
Western Cape
• Changes are detectable and attributable
• Warmer temperatures more so in the interior.
• Drier conditions in the shoulder seasons, especially away
from mountains
• weaker cold fronts, (longer burn season).
• Increased humidity and greater persistence of stronger
southerly winds.
• increased rainfall intensity and extreme events
• Possible increases in inter-annual variability
Climate Change threats to Sustainable
Development in the Province
• The 2005 - Climate Change Status Quo and
vulnerability assessment Report which shows
that climate change will have double the
global average impact in the Western Cape.
• Hotter and drier weather will lead to:
- More fires, floods and drought
- Changes and drop in agricultural production
- Less water
- Increased vulnerability of the poor
The Western Cape Climate Change Response
Strategy and Action Plan
Contents
1. The Provincial Action Plan
- departmental projects, timeframes, budgets
2. Three Adaptation Programmes:
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Water Supply and Infrastructure Management;
Climate Change Research and Monitoring;
Linking livelihoods, land stewardship and economic
growth.
4. One Mitigation Programme:
• Reducing our carbon footprint and maximising
energy efficiency opportunities
Programme 1: Integrated Water supply and Infrastructure
Conserve wetlands
estuaries and rivers
Establish and implement
the ecological reserveincrementally
Establish science /
environmental /
government dialogue
Systems maintenance
and repairs
Research areas: demand,
cost benefit of irrigation,
irrigation efficiency and
profitability
Integrated
water programme
Strengthen
provincial capacity
against 1:100 year
drought
Increase water
efficiency through
pricing strategies
Establish uninterrupted
water conservancy targets
Programme custodian: DWAF
Programme 2: Climate change
research and monitoring
Extend weather stations
network
Foster science /
environmental /
government dialogue
Research irrigation
efficiency
Research, monitoring
and validation
Increase Air Quality
stations; integrate other
data - e.g. traffic
Research pest
sensitivity to climate
change
Programme custodian: PCCC / DEA&DP
Programme 3: Establish clear linkages between land
stewardship, biodiversity, livelihoods and the economy
Linking land stewardship, livelihoods and economic growth
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Security
through
diversity
Land stewardship
Effective land usage and land care
Protect, maintain and enhance
natural resources
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Livelihoods
Strengthening vulnerable
communities
Conserving and developing resources
Maintaining diversity in livelihoods
Action
Action
- Map the I in 50 year
floodline – inform
development
- Integrate CC risks into
development planning and
approval processes
- Wetland conservation and
fragile environment
protection programme
- Integrated Invasive Alien
Species Programme
- Increase fire risk ratings
- Develop SE scenarios
- Impacts of CC & fisheries
on livelihoods
- Tourism impacts
- Climate change,
agriculture and rural
livelihoods
Sustainable Economic
Gro wth and Development
Source: OneWorld Sustainable Investment
Programme 4: Reducing our carbon footprint
and maximising energy efficiency opportunities
Air quality monitoring
Waste management,
energy conversion and
recycling initiatives
Develop the provincial
renewable resources
Household fuel
replacement
Mitigation programmes
Energy efficiency - drive
targets, incentivise through
pricing strategies
Transport fuel
replacement &
integrated housing and
transport planning town planning (IDPs)
Integrate CC into
building standards,
EE houses
Develop provincial industry
and innovations - electric
car, SWH installation
capacity; Solar panels
manufacturing
Programme custodians: DEA&DP; DME; CTC;
DoT; Housing
Environmental Authorisations
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Reducing the cumulative impacts on water sources;
Water and energy efficiency measures;
Transport focus on public transport measures;
Development setbacks in coastal zones and flood prone
areas;
• Avoiding damage to wetlands, aquatic systems, forests,
other fragile environments and biodiversity hotspots and
corridors;
• Avoiding development of high potential agricultural land;
• Avoiding impacts and promoting environmental rights of
socio-economically disadvantaged communities
Conclusion
• Climate change poses a particular challenge over
and above the already existing challenge of achieving
sustainable development
• Key imperative is to adapt our provincial development
initiatives and activities to minimise the impact of
adverse climate trends on our citizen’s socioeconomic development and on natural resource
conservation
• Need to limit green house gas emissions and
improve energy security
• Need to act sooner rather than later
Thank You