Ekurhuleni - Municipalities need to prepare themselves and come up with initiatives to mitigate the effects of climate change, says Councillor Thabo Manyoni, chairperson of South African Local Government Association.
Speaking ahead of the Mayors' Conference on Climate Change in Ekurhuleni on Sunday afternoon, Manyoni said climate change was not issue for national government to deal with alone.
While the perception was that only national government had a role to play in climate change, Manyoni pointed out that climate change affected people at a local government level. It was communities that suffered when natural disasters occurred, he added.
He said it was also the local sphere of government that was positioned to create greater public awareness around climate change.
Delegates at the conference, where 278 municipalities were represented, was expected to explore how municipal by-laws could address climate change issues.
Items up for discussion included what is being done to develop South Africa's negotiation position with regards to COP17/CMP7; the development of the Climate Change Response Policy White Paper; and the report on the international negotiations dynamics.
"The intention of the conference is to make sure that the mayors of municipalities and the officials of municipalities are fully briefed on matters pertaining to climate change," he added.
The three-day conference will also see the launch the Local Government Programme of COP17. It is also a platform for municipalities to share knowledge on climate change and build capacity ahead of COP17.
"The SA Mayors' Conference Programme entails an array of learning events networking and lobbying opportunities to mobilise and prepare local governments for COP17. This event is part of a number of pre-COP17 events that are aimed at mobilising municipalities and sharing knowledge on critical climate change issues," said Manyoni.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize, representing the Inter-Ministerial Committee helping with COP17, said climate change would have devastating consequences unless there were urgent changes in behaviour.
The mayors' conference was part of awareness drives, outreach and consultation programmes aimed at educating, informing and engaging people about climate in the run up to COP17, said Mkhize.
Mkhize welcomed the good work done by the Local Government Partnership for Climate Change.
For his part, national convenor of the Local Government Climate Change Champions Committee and eThekwini Mayor James Nxumalo said Durban was ready to host COP17.
Preparations were going "very well" and all was set for a successful COP17, said Mkhize.
