Joburg Mayor, Geoffrey Makhubo has officially launched the first of its kind climate action plan (CAP) in South Africa at Roodepoort theatre in Johannesburg on Thursday. The Mayor was joined by MMC for environment and infrastructure Services, Mpho Moerane, eThekwiniMayor, Mxolisi Kaunda and C40 Cities Africa Regional Director, Hastings Chikoko.
The City of Joburg was the first City in SA to join C40 and has over the years demonstrated remarkable leadership in climate action. Makhubo said, the CAP reaffirms the city’s commitment no supporting the well-being and livelihoods of all its citizens.
“The CAP will ensure that the Johannesburg of the future will be carbon neutral and resilient to the devastating impacts of climate change, for the benefit of all its residents”. The City will work towards these overarching goals step by step, through targets set with different deadlines (2025, 2030, 2040 and 2050),
According to the Mayor Covid-19 crisis assisted in highlighting the potential severity of another global crisis, the climate breakdown. He indicated that those hardest hit by the pandemic are largely the same people who facesthe greatest threat from climate change.
Moerane added and said the primary goal of the activity plan is to put the City on the way towards accomplishing carbon impartiality
“The main objective of the CAP is to put the City on the path towards achieving carbon neutrality and climate resilience by the year 2050,” Moerane added
Celiwe Shivambu who the Youth of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) concludes and said “The students are elated to have contributed in the drafting of the plan and in ensuring that the voice of the youth is heard”.
