Over 300 delegates are attending the Northern Cape Climate Change Summit, taking place at FET Upington College, on 14 and 15 April 2011. A joint effort by the Northern Cape Provincial Government in conjunction with Eskom, South African Local Government Executive Council (SALGA), Skeppies, Conservation International as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community-based organisation (CBOs) that are in line with environmental activities, to share information on climate change issues was opened by the Premier of the Northern Cape, Honourable Mrs Hazel Jenkins as well as the MEC for the Department of Environment and Nature Conservation Mrs Sylvia Lucas.
Address by the Premier, Mrs. Hazel Jenkins 14 April 2011, Upington
Link to Department of Environment and Nature Conservation website
The summit will invite provocative ideas, facilitate dialogue, encourage breakthrough thinking and celebrate shared vision for new opportunities of coping and improving our environment. The summit will be a low carbon footprint summit
It aims to stimulate the implementation of programs and projects that will address the effects of climate change, supported by research, validated by monitoring activities and underpinned by behavioural change, education and awareness. It will identify, evaluate, cost and prioritise specific, achievable adaptation and mitigation responses to the effects of climate change within the Northern Cape. The summit also aims to assess the current situation of various vulnerable sectors in the province by identifying the risk and vulnerabilities of these sectors and communities to the identified climate change impacts. With the delegation comprising of Youth, women, the disabled, businesses and NGO’s which are involved in environmental related activities.
The topics will be cantered around mitigation and adaptation strategies for the province, and suggest possible projects that will engage local communities, amongst the topics that will be discussed will be sustainable green jobs for the Northern Cape, projects for the local communities, weather pattern predictions for the Northern Cape as well as the provincial perspective of climate change (Mitigation and adaptation).
The potential impacts and risks of unanticipated climate variability and projected climate change are severe. Addressing climate change is one of the critical challenges that can be achieved through integrated government planning, partnerships at the local level and with the private sector and civil society, and a strengthened multilateral regime ate the international level. Success in anticipating climate change will also enhance our ability to cope much better with short term variability.
Source: Northern Cape Department of Environment and Nature Conservation
