The City of Cape Town is the only South African city to make it onto the 2022 Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) Cities A-List of 122 global cities for its climate change action and transparency. Only 12% of the 1002 cities that were scored globally in 2022 received this rating, which the City has retained since the launch of the new rating system in 2019.
The CDP scores cities from A to D based on their climate change response disclosure each year. The score indicates how effectively cities are managing, measuring and tackling greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate risks.
‘We are proud to be one of only 122 cities across the world to have been awarded this top honour. We have been recognised for our commitment to climate action and ambition, against a challenging global backdrop. It is an honour that Cape Town is regarded as an example of much needed climate leadership.
‘By reporting our climate actions through the CDP each year, Cape Town is transparent about the work we are doing to track progress, monitor risks and benchmark against other cities facing similar challenges,’ said Councillor Kyle Carls, Chairperson of the Future Planning and Resilience Portfolio Committee.
What is the City doing?
‘At a policy level we have committed to achieving the goal of enhanced climate resilience carbon neutrality by 2050. This commitment is embedded in our Climate Change Strategy that sets the pathway towards this goal. The City’s Climate Change Action Plan details the actions required to fulfil this strategic vision and defines a role for government.
‘It however also recognises that partnering with others is essential towards achieving the overall goals. The City is continuously working towards significantly growing its programmes that support climate change response and calls on residents, businesses, NGOs other spheres of government and partners across the city to join the climate action journey,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Councillor Beverley van Reenen.
How climate change is affecting Cape Town
Decreasing rainfall and increased risk of drought
Hotter temperatures leading to more frequent and intense heat waves and very hot days
Rising sea levels and increased coastal erosion
Increased risk of flooding due to intense rainfall events
Hot, dry, and windy conditions leading to increased wildfire risk
What we need to do to tackle climate change
As the international climate change negotiations of the past 2 weeks (COP27) has shown, the globe finds itself in the final decade for genuine, meaningful and impactful climate action to be taken in order to prevent the world tipping over the 1,5°C warming limit set in the Paris Agreement of 2015. It is fundamental to that goal that action is accelerated, and that cities – home to 55% of the world’s population and accounting for approximately 70% of global emissions – continuously step up their actions. In support of the growing global momentum to tackle climate change, Cape Town, along with cities in South Africa and worldwide, has committed to working to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement to achieve carbon neutrality and greater climate resilience by 2050. These necessary targets can only be reached through significant transitions in urban form, energy sources, transportation and resource efficiency.
What is carbon neutrality?
Carbon neutrality means introducing new technologies to clean up the fuels and activities that cause greenhouse gas emissions and global warming, while enhancing our social, economic and environmental goals. Read more about the City’s Carbon Neutral 2050 commitment.
For more information on the CDP cities initiative, please visit https://www.cdp.net/en/cities/cities-scores
See more information on the City’s climate change response and resilience campaign, Let’s ACT. For a stronger Cape Town.
Source: City Of Cape Town