South Africa - Johannesburg
The Urban Pathways Implementation Tracker is tracking the Projects Progress
The Urban Pathways Implementation Tracker is tracking the Projects Progress
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is located in Gauteng province and is SA’s fastest growing city; it is also one of the few major cities in the world not located near or on a water source. Johannesburg is also host of 70% of SA’s businesses’ headquarters and many multinational corporations. Climate risks such as heat wave-related deaths; flood risks; water and energy demands; and disease vectors are becoming more prevalent.
Johannesburg has developed an Energy and Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan: the Climate Change Strategic Framework (CCSF) with the objective to institutionalise and mainstream climate change action, systems strengthening and capacity and process development to mitigate and adaptation efforts. Energy and Climate Change Strategy & Action Plan detailing adaptation and mitigation goals, is summarised as follows: Reduce Greenhouse Gas(GHG) emissions: a 43% reduction by 2050; Minimise exposure to climate change, identifying risks and inform planning; Enhance resilience of communities by adapting infrastructure; Understand impact and define measures accordingly; and Incorporate climate change in all future actions and service delivery.
Energy
Johannesburg is a carbon intensive economy delivery 66.7% of total Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity – dependent on coal powered electricity generation. This also exemplifies the problem of South Africa’s carbon intensive electricity supply – the country relies almost entirely on coal for the generation of its electricity. Residential and commercial buildings within the city also rely solely on electricity for its heating and cooling systems. Electricity within the City is predominately provided City Power Johannesburg (Pty) Limited, and although a separate company, is fully owned by the City of Johannesburg.Energy consumption has increased in absolute terms mainly due to the increase in the city’s population. The lack of electricity in the city continues to be most prevalent in informal dwellings (households living on formal dwellings in backyard shacks) and informal settlements (households residing on un-proclaimed land zoned for development). The city also faces a critical challenge of aging infrastructure.
Transport
Johannesburg’s is an inland port, the largest in Africa and fifth largest in the world, which handles 30% of the country’s exports. The majority of Johannesburg’s transport emissions come from road transportation (82%) the majority of fuel use is estimated to be from private cars and minibus taxis within the City. Aviation accounts for 14% and rail 4%. Overall emissions from road transport were estimated to be 5.58 million tonnes of CO2-e. Of which 3.96 million tonnes were from petrol and 1.65 million tonnes from diesel. Johannesburg city council has developed an integrated transport plan (ITP), which aims to improve mobility and accessibility of its residents. The long-term aim is to provide public transport network that incorporates, on an integrated basis, all modes of transport, including public transport, private transport (freight and private cars) and non-motorised transport. Johannesburg has developed the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transport system and Metrobus. The City is investing in a transformation process at Metrobus to increase efficiencies and capabilities. It is replacing its current fleet with ‘green’ buses, as well as implementing a revised Metrobus operational plan and integrating it with other transport services.
Waste management
The City of Johannesburg collects over 1.8 million tons of garbage each year, with approximately 244,200 tons reflected in the form of illegal dumping, and 1,779 tons collected as litter from the streets. With an increasing population and a few primary sites, the city is running out of landfill space. An aggregate of 8 years’ of landfill space remains, but this varies considerably across the City’s regions.A total of 65 600 (4.1%) of households experienced backlogs below formal once weekly waste collection.The City’s green waste-management strategy is the reduction of waste going to landfills. Pikitup diverted 151000 tons of waste from landfill sites (49 000 tons of green waste, 62 000 tons of rubble and 39 000 tons of dry waste). The Bulk Commercial unit is responsible for the collection and disposal of Bulk (skips) and Dailies (putrescible) Waste from commercial customers. We have witnessed a slight uptick in total number of Bulk and Dailies. Pikitup is the City's fully owned official waste management service provider and is responsible for keeping the city clean and preserving an attractive and hygienic environment for residents and visitors. Pikitup is in the process of developing several landfill-gas-to-energy projects on the five landfills it manages (Robinson Deep in Turffontein, Marie Louise in Roodepoort, Goudkoppies in Devland, Linbro Park near Alexandra and Ennerdale in Lawley). The city of Johannesburg has ambitions to generate electricity from methane gas and carbon dioxide extracted from waste at the five mentioned land-fills.
Johannesburg is located in Gauteng province and is SA’s fastest growing city; it is also one of the few major cities in the world not located near or on a water source. Johannesburg is also host of 70% of SA’s businesses’ headquarters and many multinational corporations. Climate risks such as heat wave-related deaths; flood risks; water and energy demands; and disease vectors are becoming more prevalent.
Johannesburg has developed an Energy and Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan: the Climate Change Strategic Framework (CCSF) with the objective to institutionalise and mainstream climate change action, systems strengthening and capacity and process development to mitigate and adaptation efforts. Energy and Climate Change Strategy & Action Plan detailing adaptation and mitigation goals, is summarised as follows: Reduce Greenhouse Gas(GHG) emissions: a 43% reduction by 2050; Minimise exposure to climate change, identifying risks and inform planning; Enhance resilience of communities by adapting infrastructure; Understand impact and define measures accordingly; and Incorporate climate change in all future actions and service delivery.
Energy
Johannesburg is a carbon intensive economy delivery 66.7% of total Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity – dependent on coal powered electricity generation. This also exemplifies the problem of South Africa’s carbon intensive electricity supply – the country relies almost entirely on coal for the generation of its electricity. Residential and commercial buildings within the city also rely solely on electricity for its heating and cooling systems. Electricity within the City is predominately provided City Power Johannesburg (Pty) Limited, and although a separate company, is fully owned by the City of Johannesburg.Energy consumption has increased in absolute terms mainly due to the increase in the city’s population. The lack of electricity in the city continues to be most prevalent in informal dwellings (households living on formal dwellings in backyard shacks) and informal settlements (households residing on un-proclaimed land zoned for development). The city also faces a critical challenge of aging infrastructure.
Transport
Johannesburg’s is an inland port, the largest in Africa and fifth largest in the world, which handles 30% of the country’s exports. The majority of Johannesburg’s transport emissions come from road transportation (82%) the majority of fuel use is estimated to be from private cars and minibus taxis within the City. Aviation accounts for 14% and rail 4%. Overall emissions from road transport were estimated to be 5.58 million tonnes of CO2-e. Of which 3.96 million tonnes were from petrol and 1.65 million tonnes from diesel. Johannesburg city council has developed an integrated transport plan (ITP), which aims to improve mobility and accessibility of its residents. The long-term aim is to provide public transport network that incorporates, on an integrated basis, all modes of transport, including public transport, private transport (freight and private cars) and non-motorised transport. Johannesburg has developed the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transport system and Metrobus. The City is investing in a transformation process at Metrobus to increase efficiencies and capabilities. It is replacing its current fleet with ‘green’ buses, as well as implementing a revised Metrobus operational plan and integrating it with other transport services.
Waste management
The City of Johannesburg collects over 1.8 million tons of garbage each year, with approximately 244,200 tons reflected in the form of illegal dumping, and 1,779 tons collected as litter from the streets. With an increasing population and a few primary sites, the city is running out of landfill space. An aggregate of 8 years’ of landfill space remains, but this varies considerably across the City’s regions.A total of 65 600 (4.1%) of households experienced backlogs below formal once weekly waste collection.The City’s green waste-management strategy is the reduction of waste going to landfills. Pikitup diverted 151000 tons of waste from landfill sites (49 000 tons of green waste, 62 000 tons of rubble and 39 000 tons of dry waste). The Bulk Commercial unit is responsible for the collection and disposal of Bulk (skips) and Dailies (putrescible) Waste from commercial customers. We have witnessed a slight uptick in total number of Bulk and Dailies. Pikitup is the City's fully owned official waste management service provider and is responsible for keeping the city clean and preserving an attractive and hygienic environment for residents and visitors. Pikitup is in the process of developing several landfill-gas-to-energy projects on the five landfills it manages (Robinson Deep in Turffontein, Marie Louise in Roodepoort, Goudkoppies in Devland, Linbro Park near Alexandra and Ennerdale in Lawley). The city of Johannesburg has ambitions to generate electricity from methane gas and carbon dioxide extracted from waste at the five mentioned land-fills.
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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 ran- ge 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. |
