Western Cape Climate Change Response Strategy and Action Plan
Client—Western Cape department of environmental affairs and development planning
Area—Western Cape, South Africa
Timeline—September 2006—March 2007
Details—The global scientific community confirms that climate change is a reality and already upon us. A study on the status quo, vulnerability and adaptation assessment of the physical and socioeconomic effects of climate change in the Western Cape (2005) confirms that climate change impacts are being increasingly felt in many parts of the province. This carries significant consequences for the social, economic and sustainable development of the Western Cape.
The Western Cape government decided to take action. The department of environmental affairs and development planning (DEA&DP) commissioned a climate change response strategy and action plan to identify key risk areas and make recommendations of priority in terms of adaptation and mitigation measures that can be enacted. The strategy will assist the province in its decision and policy-making processes to both minimise the negative effects and to secure potentially beneficial opportunities that may arise from climate change.
Taking a stakeholder-led approach to finding a solutions-based strategy for the province that is implementable, OneWorld Sustainable Investments, in consultation with a full team of scientific and resource experts, was contracted by DEA&DP to do this work.
The strategy was launched by the premier of the Western Cape on 27 February 2009. Key questions underpinning this work were
- What critical issues drive a response to climate change for the province?
- How will the province prioritise its responses to climate change?
- What is the related impact of these adaptation and mitigation responses?
- How do we maximise the opportunities that climate change presents the province?
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