Observations on environmental change in South Africa {writer: Fanie Heyns}

An estimated 175 million children every year are likely to be affected by climate-related disasters of various types in the next decade. And severe weather events in the Western Cape cost the country R3 billion in six brief years.

These are two of the revelations made by Professor Colleen Vogel, head of the ReVAMP research group at the School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies at the University of Witwatersrand, in a newly published book, Observations on Environmental Change in South Africa.

But what can be done at local government level to address this, since the severe socio-economic impact at ground level is evident?

Over the last decade, partly through the popular media and partly through global political events such as the annual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP), the concept of climate change has become one of the most relevant and discussed global issues, says Gregg Oelofse, acting manager for Environmental Policy, Strategy, Livelihoods and Education at the City of Cape Town, and a conservation biologist by training.

Given its global traction in everyday discourse and media coverage – and because one is increasingly stretched to find true climate change cynics – one would think addressing the climate change issue would be at the top of every development agenda and embedded in all government planning.

Sadly, this is not the case; and real and appropriate planning, preparation for and mitigation of climate change remains an overwhelming challenge, particularly at local government level. (Source: www.cdkn.org, June 2011)

Staying on the periphery

Oelofse says one of the most alarming trends at local government level is that climate change is still being perceived by many to be an environmental issue.

At two of the largest cities in the country, Cape Town and Durban, the climate change agenda is still being driven by their environmental departments.

This is problematic in a number of areas: anything considered an environmental issue still remains somewhat on the periphery of governance in terms of resource allocation, decision-making and space on the governance agenda.

Environmental issues or the “green” agenda carry historical baggage with which climate change should not be associated.

The reality is this: climate change is an economic issue, a social issue, a development issue and a political stability issue.

It challenges every aspect of the collective futures of South Africans; and to locate it as simply an environmental issue will ensure it remains somewhat on the periphery of governance and adequate planning.

Longer term planning

If South Africans have to have a hope of being resilient in a changing climate, local governments are going to have to shift their planning considerations to 30- to 50-year horizons and begin to implement those plans now, advises Oelofse.

“Local governments will have to be progressive – and not only deal with change itself, but stimulate a change of thinking in their constituencies. This shift away from business as usual has to happen quickly if we are to avert disaster,” he adds.

Leadership

At local government level, there is a broad and pressing spectrum of economic, social and environmental issues competing for space on the agenda, and for limited and constrained resources. Immediate issues of basic service delivery, housing, employment, education, etc. correctly hold centre field on most local authority agendas.

As society, as organisations and as individuals, people tend to avoid change because change often causes some discomfort.

A lack of strong leadership entrenches the competition for space on the agenda by a spectrum of issues as well as a resistance to the discomfort that change will bring.

Climate change and the challenges it brings demand leadership that is informed, willing to make bold decisions, integrate competing issues, follow decisions through – even when they cause discomfort – and leadership that leads by determining a clear development path founded on resilience and sustainability. (Source: www.cdkn.org, June 2011)

At its most basic, the effects of climate change will be experienced globally, but felt tangibly at the local level, says Oelofse.

Yet, local governments and communities to date have had little opportunity for their voices to be heard on the global platforms such as COP.

These dialogues and negotiations are currently influenced by global economics and politics, with no real reference to real on-the-ground issues. In many ways, local governments could be considered victims of a global ‘tragedy of the commons’.

“Until this critical role of local government is recognised, resourced, skilled and capacitated, and the voice of local government heard on global platforms, our communities will remain vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,” says Oelofse.

Having presented the work that the City of Cape Town has done on sea-level rise modelling to a range of decision-making bodies, it remains apparent that an element of disbelief persists, he notes.

This is understandable, as that which many of the climate models show is almost beyond comprehension for all of us to consider as our future. The easiest response to this disbelief is to question the science and hold a position that the modelling is ‘extreme’ and perhaps should not be trusted.

It needs to be acknowledged that climate science is developing all the time, and current models and predictions are at best open to variability, and will improve in due course.

If South Africans are to address the issue, however, they have to trust in the science, as they have no other information to guide them at this critical time.

Prof. Vogel says accessible and effective communication is required urgently at local government level to address the climate change impact. This relates to communication in terms of what is meant by climate change as well as communication about possible impending climate events and the longer term projection of climate change.

Here, the scientific community has not done as well as one would expect, given the dramatic changes and advances in technology and information distribution.

Early warning systems may require a reorientation that includes warnings for extremes and shocks as well as enabling actions to be taken with regard to some of the daily changes that may accompany climate change.

Information on health status and nutritional information, when packaged together with information on possible seasonal rainfall changes, may be required and included into a more flexible system. (Source: Observations on Environmental Change in South Africa)

Prof. Vogel warns that South Africa, and the world, may have to move beyond current “business as usual” and develop new sets of actions, institutions, plans and strategies among other efforts to help the global community to respond better for future challenges associated with climate change.

Oelofse says local governments must be recognised as central and leading players in responding to climate change.

A more collective approach is pivotal: “It requires that all of us – as individuals, organisations and governments – bring our share and commitment to a resilient future. Government cannot solve this issue alone,” he notes.

“Much has been spoken about a global adaptation fund – but will local authorities and local areas have access to those resources, or will they be tied up in global bureaucracy?” (Source: www.cdkn.org, June 2011)

Cape Town’s response

According to the City of Cape Town, one of its aims is to establish an awareness of the physical limits of resource use (such as electricity use) on future development and, consequently, to minimise the impacts of resource use on the environment and enhancing people’s quality of life. It strives to be at the forefront of sustainable development in local government.

The City has developed an Energy and Climate Change Strategy to integrate sustainable energy approaches into its core functions, with a framework that provides a clear vision and direction for the City.

An adaptation framework has been produced in response to the potential short- to medium-term impacts of climate change in the Cape metropolitan area.

The Framework for Adaptation to Climate Change in the City of Cape Town is an overarching framework for a city-wide consolidated and co-ordinated approach to reducing vulnerability to climate impacts.

A City Adaptation Plan of Action for the City of Cape Town will be developed, and the necessary resources mobilised for the implementation thereof.

Various projects and programmes concerning energy and climate change are run by the Environmental Resource Management Department, including: the Kuyasa Energy Efficiency Project, a thermal efficiency upgrade project that aims to retrofit existing low-income houses in Kuyasa with solar water heaters and improved insulation measures; and the Solar Water Heater Advancement Programme, which aims to encourage and facilitate the adoption of solar water heater use in Cape Town.

Durban’s response

Joanne Hayes, spokesperson for eThekwini, said the municipality has developed municipal adaptation plans for the water, disaster management and health sectors.

In addition, work is being done in the area of community adaptation, focusing on issues such as food and water security.

Durban has argued that ecosystem-based adaptation is an underutilised and critical component of any response to climate change. It is currently developing projects that demonstrate how improving ecological integrity improves a city’s ability to deal with climate change.

It is critical that environmental challenges are addressed in ways that seek opportunities for social upliftment and which contribute to the broader ‘green economy’ goals of the country.

Projects such as the City’s Buffelsdraai Landfill site Community Reforestation Project begin to demonstrate how this is possible. It relies on local communities to grow and then plant trees in order to restore important forest ecosystems in an area where such ecosystems have been lost – providing opportunities for both socio-economic and biodiversity development and growth.

COP 17 provides a critical opportunity for Durban to demonstrate its environmental approach and to ensure projects have an extended value for the City, once the event is over.

One of the requirements of the host country agreement with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is the calculation of the event’s carbon footprint.

The City will be looking to reduce energy consumption at major venues and ensure other sources of carbon emissions, such as transport, are made as efficient as possible, says Hayes.

Durban has adopted a particularly thorough approach to this, and has appointed an experienced team to calculate the local carbon footprint of COP 17.

eThekwini has identified the need to engage the private sector around the provision of “responsible” accommodation and meeting facilities.

At present, there are approximately 26 019 accommodation bedrooms in the greater Durban area, of which only 11 are certified or graded under one of the three prominent “responsible” or green tourism certification companies, according to Hayes.

As part of the COP 17 greening programme, the municipality will pilot a responsible tourism campaign that will actively promote the adoption of responsible tourism approaches by the accommodation sector.