In an effort to find a lasting solution to the extreme climate change related weather conditions that have wreaked havoc in KwaZulu-Natal in the recent past, the provincial government has organised its first provincial climate change and sustainable development summit.
The two-day summit will begin on Wednesday this week. It will be attended by members of the Provincial Executive Council, senior leaders and officials from all spheres of government, academics and the civil society.
Delegates are expected to craft a clear programme to respond to the ever growing threat of inclement weather conditions caused by climate change.
The summit will be led by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Mr Sihle Zikalala and the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Ms Nomusa Dube-Ncube who is also the Leader of Government Business.
The conference will take place just a few months following calamitous climate change-related floods which claimed 70 lives and left a trail of destruction to the infrastructure including houses, roads, power networks, schools and health facilities quantified to the figure of R1.1 billion.
“As a responsible government, we strongly feel that we have to strengthen our approach to dealing with climate change. The summit will be attended by 300 delegates from different sectors.
It has been structured in a manner that it does not become a talk shop. We want the summit to produce a concrete programme that will see us as a province responding appropriately to issues of climate change,” said KwaZulu-Natal Premier Mr Sihle Zikalala ahead of the summit.
Mr Zikalala is also Africa’s co-chairperson for the Climate Change Groups and Regions Alliance which is the initiative of the European Union (EU) aimed at building co-operation on climate change between EU and the developing countries.
Members of the media are cordially invited to cover the two day summit scheduled as follows:
Dates: 14 and15 August 2019
Times: 8h30
Venue: Olive Convention Centre, Durban
Members of the media are urged to RSVP latest by 1pm on Tuesday, 13 August.
Enquiries:
Bongani Tembe (Office of the Premier)
Cell: 082 327 2600
Nathi Olifant (Environmental Affairs)
Cell: 060 970 5113
