South Africa - Cape Town
The Urban Pathways Implementation Tracker is tracking the Projects Progress
The Urban Pathways Implementation Tracker is tracking the Projects Progress
Cape Town
The City of Cape Town has a high carbon footprint compared to other similar cities due to its poor energy security matrix, is rapidly urbanising, with urban sprawl and increase vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. In 2001, the City of Cape Town adopted an integrated Metropolitan Environmental Policy identifying a need to shift from business-as- usual to a targeted sustainable agenda. The city has recognised that its legacy issues of spatial planning and transport does not adhere to its international obligation and the SDGs.
Energy: The City of Cape Town has begun to implement energy efficiency initiatives that aims to reduces its GHGemissions and contribute to positive climate changemitigation efforts. These include energy efficiencymechanisms for building and facilities, replacingstreet lighting and traffic lights, smart meters installation, efficiency strategy for similar projects in solidwaste, transport and water, engagement with the private sector; rollout of solar water heating and heat pumps through accredited installers and low income energy services (Naidoo, 2017).
Transport: The City of Cape Town is the most congested city in South Africa with 80% of the peak traffic currently being made up of private car users. The City of Cape Town has begun to focus on spatial transformation that is Transit-Oriented Development – a transit-let development agenda at all levels of the built environment. The City of Cape Town has institutionalised a Transport and Urban Development (TDA) authority which is to be responsible for all transport and urban development issues. In 2018, ten electric busseswhere integrated into the public bus fleet, a call fortender for a bike sharing system was sent out, a policy change to begin a ticketing system for all public transportation systems into one single ticket system is also under way. The City of Cape Town’s e-mobility strategy also includes the development of an EV framework, developing the existing infrastructure further and improving bicycle lands usage and awareness campaigns.
Waste management: In its waste-to-energy programme the City has begun to treat sludge waste in bio-digesters, planned installations of CHP plants, key water sites are being assessed to analysis better usage and technological update and solar PV installation feasibility studieshave been conducted. A landfill gas infrastructure for flaring was set up in 2017 in the Coast Park, Bellville,Visserhok, and Helderberg facilities. The Rehabilitati- on of the Atlantis, Vissershok, Waterleaf and Witsandlandfill sites are in process and an additional designand development of an integrated management facility in Helderberg is planned (Naidoo, 2017). Severe droughts have affected the City of Cape Town during 2017 signalling a desperate need for policymakers to speedily adjust to the climate change reality.
The City of Cape Town has a high carbon footprint compared to other similar cities due to its poor energy security matrix, is rapidly urbanising, with urban sprawl and increase vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. In 2001, the City of Cape Town adopted an integrated Metropolitan Environmental Policy identifying a need to shift from business-as- usual to a targeted sustainable agenda. The city has recognised that its legacy issues of spatial planning and transport does not adhere to its international obligation and the SDGs.
Energy: The City of Cape Town has begun to implement energy efficiency initiatives that aims to reduces its GHGemissions and contribute to positive climate changemitigation efforts. These include energy efficiencymechanisms for building and facilities, replacingstreet lighting and traffic lights, smart meters installation, efficiency strategy for similar projects in solidwaste, transport and water, engagement with the private sector; rollout of solar water heating and heat pumps through accredited installers and low income energy services (Naidoo, 2017).
Transport: The City of Cape Town is the most congested city in South Africa with 80% of the peak traffic currently being made up of private car users. The City of Cape Town has begun to focus on spatial transformation that is Transit-Oriented Development – a transit-let development agenda at all levels of the built environment. The City of Cape Town has institutionalised a Transport and Urban Development (TDA) authority which is to be responsible for all transport and urban development issues. In 2018, ten electric busseswhere integrated into the public bus fleet, a call fortender for a bike sharing system was sent out, a policy change to begin a ticketing system for all public transportation systems into one single ticket system is also under way. The City of Cape Town’s e-mobility strategy also includes the development of an EV framework, developing the existing infrastructure further and improving bicycle lands usage and awareness campaigns.
Waste management: In its waste-to-energy programme the City has begun to treat sludge waste in bio-digesters, planned installations of CHP plants, key water sites are being assessed to analysis better usage and technological update and solar PV installation feasibility studieshave been conducted. A landfill gas infrastructure for flaring was set up in 2017 in the Coast Park, Bellville,Visserhok, and Helderberg facilities. The Rehabilitati- on of the Atlantis, Vissershok, Waterleaf and Witsandlandfill sites are in process and an additional designand development of an integrated management facility in Helderberg is planned (Naidoo, 2017). Severe droughts have affected the City of Cape Town during 2017 signalling a desperate need for policymakers to speedily adjust to the climate change reality.
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Policy Environment Assessment
During the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen South Africa committed itself to reduce domestic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 34% in 2020 and 42% by 2025 below the business-as-usual (BAU) trajectory subject to the provision of adequate financial,technological and capacity-building support by developed countries (Woolard & Davis, 2015). According to SA’s Peak Plateau and Decline (PPD) pledge, it will peak its national emissions between 2020 and 2025, plateau for approximately a decade, and decline in absolute terms thereafter. South Africa’s NDCs target to limit GHG emissions including land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) to between 398 and 614 Mt CO2eq over the period 2025–2030 is equivalent to a 20–82% increase on 1990 levels excluding LULUCF. South Africa’s aspiration in the long-term is that total annual GHG emissions will be in the range of 212 to 428 MtCO2e by 2050, having declined in absolute terms from 2036 onwards. In response to itsidentification of mitigation targets South Africa developed a National Climate Change Response White paper (SA Department of Environmental Affairs, 2011). The Key elements of SA’s overall approach to mitigation include (SA Department of Environmental Affairs, 2011):
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Project Development
Open Streets in Cape Town In partnership with the city of Cape Town, Open streets day’s will close major streets for motorized transportation on specific days. The public is then encouraged to enjoy the car free streets where activities are hosted on the day – these include music, art, interactive workshops, dancing, yoga, chess and other sports and games. Open Streets is free and everyone is encouraged to participate and help plan the day – the organisation of this activity is usually done in broad consultation with local businesses, civil organisation in the area, and the whole community. The city of Cape Town’s transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA, 2018) provides the administrative support and governance framework for this action – financial support is gained via sponsorship and donations. |
