Mayor’s climate change pledge

CAPE Town mayor Patricia de Lille joined mayors from cities around the globe in pledging to tackle climate change.

“We cannot afford to be in denial about climate change,” De Lille said in explaining her support for the initiative.

In anticipation of US President Donald Trump announcing that he will withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement on climate change, yesterday mayors from 46 global cities called on the G20 leaders to do what it takes to overcome climate change and uphold their commitments under the Paris Agreement.

The statement, co-ordinated by the C40 network, to which De Lille has been an active contributor over the past few years, urges leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations to come together with global mayors to work together to “save our planet”.

The pledge reads: “To deliver on the goals of the Paris Agreement requires unprecedented action: urgent reforms are needed in energy, transport, food and waste – driving investment in low-carbon economies that will create jobs and improve public health.

“Research by C40 cities demonstrates that major progress towards these goals needs to be under way by 2020.”

De Lille’s decision to become a signatory to the pledge was because of Cape Town’s environmental challenges.

“Climate change is a reality that we are seeing unfold in Cape Town with a drought crisis due to decreased annual average rainfall in the past three winter seasons.

“We cannot afford to be in denial about climate change, we must act.”

Recently, De Lille has been advocating Cape Town’s environmental achievements at an investor roadshow across the city to promote Cape Town’s inaugural green bond.

The climate of South Africa is experiencing considerable water vulnerability, global warming being faster than the global average and air pollution increasing the number of deaths as well as unsafe water, malnutrition or unsafe sanitation.

The African Climate Reality Project said with the outcome of the US leaving the agreement means there will be less action by the US, as well as less funding for climate change mitigation in the developing countries, including SA. – Staff Reporter