ICLEI Africa presents the ‘Local Government Climate Roadmap Project’ at the annual UEMP Conference in Somerset West, South Africa.

 2009/05/28

ICLEI Africa recently attended and presented at the annual Urban Environmental Management Programme (UEMP) conference, which took place in Somerset West, Western Cape on the 20 and 21 May 2009.

The UEMP, funded by DANIDA (Denmark), is a partnership between eleven government partner institutions of South Africa from all three spheres of government; national, provincial as well as municipal. The UEMP began in 2006 and facilitates a five-year collaboration between the South African government partners and Denmark. The aim of the programme is to alleviate poverty through improved service delivery within the environmental management sector of local government. The UEMP partners include the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), the Department of Health (DoH), the Provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and Gauteng, and the Cities of Cape Town, eThekwini, Ekurhuleni and Sedibeng Municipalities.

The two day conference featured presentations and discussions on energy and climate change smart projects, waste management and air quality. The aim of the conference was to enhance dialogue and collaborative efforts through reflection, sharing of experiences and facilitation of linkages and cooperation between the different projects implementers of the programme.

Various partner local governments presented on their Energy and Climate Change activities within their respective cities, as well as their strategies for the future. Presentations also include institutional arrangements, specific projects such as street light projects, as well as communication and education of city residents. On day two, various plenary sessions were dedicated to the following key local government management areas: air quality, waste management, environmental health and urban environmental planning. The final plenary session was dedicated to information on low income solar water heaters and case studies.

A number of delegates from Denmark attended this event. Mr DE Frederiksen, the Ambassador of the Royal Danish Embassy in South Africa, opened the proceedings of the first day with a keynote address. Mr Leo Christensen from Lolland Municipality in Denmark (Director, Planning, Lolland Municipality, Denmark) presented an inspiring and informative talk on Lolland Municipality’s Energy and Climate Change Planning and Implementation strategies. This included projects in which the production of renewable energy has led to the alleviation of the high unemployment rate in Lolland, the development and implementation of hydrogen fuelled bus systems for workers at factories, as well as adaptation measures to respond to rising water levels. Mr Christensen also introduced the Lolland Energy Education System, through which the Municipality aims to educate the public and youth of Lolland on relevant Energy and Climate Change issues.

Mr Jan Rasmussen and Ms Lykke Leonardsen, both representatives from the Department of Environmental Planning, Copenhagen Municipality in Denmark, also presented urban environmental planning projects that are taking place within the City of Copenhagen. Some of the projects presented included the projects to improve cycling facilities and encourage commuters to cycle to work and school, “pocket park” projects, re-opening of underground streams, cleaning and filtering of rain water and green roofs. Mr Rasmussen presented on Copenhagen Municipal adaptation planning projects such as construction of water reservoirs, reducing run-off into the sewage system and recycling rainwater run-off. The case study of the Habour Bath shows how adaptation strategies can be turned into lucrative tourist attractions. There are future plans to build a harbour island, but developed must include sea-level rise scenario planning.

ICLEI’s Local Government Climate Roadmap project was a very appropriate topic to be presented during this event, due to the strong focus on both Denmark and South African Local Governments Energy and Climate Change Projects. The Regional Director of ICLEI Africa, Ms Kobie Brand, presented the Climate Roadmap project on the first day of the conference and subsequently invited all conference participants to attend the related event, namely the “African Local Government Climate Roadmap Pre-Copenhagen Summit” that is taking place from 29-31 July 2009 in Tshwane, South Africa.

For more on the ICLEI Local Government Climate Roadmap Project

More information on the UEMP programme