The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), in partnership with KfW Development Bank (on behalf of the German Government), and in close collaboration with the Department of Transport is hosting a two day Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) conference at Gallagher Estate from today, 2 August until tomorrow, 3 August 2012.
The conference intends to promote the National Greening Programme – and in particular – non-motorised transport (NMT).
Government and key partners such as KfW Development Bank are taking this opportunity to demonstrate South Africa’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to promote renewable energy sources and to ensure broad climate change awareness.
The first demonstration project was undertaken in eThekwini Metro in hosting the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP 17/CMP7 event, with an aim to promote safe, healthy, low-cost and carbon free urban mobility by extending NMT infrastructure and establishing an integrated NMT network.
The first day of the conference will consist of two panel discussions, which will consider key questions many of us ask ourselves: can we achieve climate-friendly urban mobility and are international best practices (such as rail-based park and rides, cycling and greener fuels) really applicable in South Africa, and why are we investing in walking and cycling ‘instead of’ focusing on public transport only?
Speakers will include local experts on universal design, bicycle-share, transport planning and greener transport technology.
The second day of the conference will see keynote speakers at the Green Cities: Promoting the NMT Agenda Conference, which include an address by Dr Horst Freitag, German Ambassador to South Africa, who will be speaking on the German experience in respect to city greening, as well as Cllr Rehana Moosajee, MMC for Transportation at the City of Johannesburg who will talk on “Complete streets lead to liveable communities.” The cities of Polokwane, Johannesburg and eThekwini will present details of their walking & cycling projects and invite questions that will enable other practitioners to learn from their work and implement similar projects.
The aim of the Green Cities: Promoting the NMT Agenda Conference is to:
- Demonstrate the interface between transportation and greener cities.
- Highlight the role that NMT can play in enhancing mobility in cities, and
- Demonstrate how an integrated transport system can help reduce emissions through institutional, behavioural and technological changes.
The DEA’s National Greening Programme was launched 18 May 2010 in Sandton, Johannesburg. In addition to key thematic areas such as energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, biodiversity management, and sustainable tourism, the programme also focuses on non-motorised transport (NMT).
The Department of Environmental Affairs, in partnership with KfW Development Bank, officially launched the Non-Motorised Transport Programme on 6 December 2011. A strategic element of this programme is the implementation of non-motorised transport demonstration projects in Polokwane, Johannesburg and Durban.
The conference is open to media.
Conference details:
Venue: Gallagher Estate, 19 Richards Drive, Midrand, Johannesburg
Day1: Thursday, 2 August 2012
Time: 14h00 – 19h00
Day 2: Friday, 3 August 2012
Time: 8h30 – 13h30
RSVP:
Khomotso Matsipa
Tel: 011369 0600
Cell: 083 532 9546
E-mail: khomotso.matsipa@smec.com
For media queries contact:
Roopa Singh
Cell: 082 225 3076
Dimakatso Tsutsubi
Cell: 084 809 4329
