E16m boost for green cities
MANZINI - Eswatini has received a grant of over E16 million from the Green Climate Fund.
The fund is aimed at strengthening urban-spatial planning towards generating indicators for sustainable green cities. The grant was made possible through the efforts of the National Designated Authority (NDA) under the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Authority, as well as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
The announcement of the aforementioned fund was made by Minister of Housing and Urban Development Prince Simelane through Acting Principal Secretary (PS) in the ministry, Makhosi Simelane during the launch of the Sustainable Green Cities Project at The George Hotel yesterday.
Director of the Eswatini Local Government Association (ELGA), Gordon Mbuli said the minister would be represented by the acting PS, as he had been engaged on another important commitment.
The minister extended his appreciation to the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, in particular the NDA for providing guidance and assistance on the application processes of the Green Climate Fund by ELGA. He also thanked the effort by FAO, for supporting ELGA throughout the technical expertise sharing, leading to the concept development of the project.
Project
The minister said he was aware that the sustainable green cities concept was through a collaborative effort by several ministries, which included the Ministry of Agriculture, with keen interest on promoting food security. He elaborated that he was humbled by the spirit of collaboration with his ministry, through ELGA, in ensuring the success of the project.
He highlighted that during the project implementation, they needed to consider assessments and reforms of urban area policies in order to address, among many others, high rates of urbanisation. “This is driven by premature rural to urban migration’s heavy dependence on ecosystem services, which results in the depletion and degradation of natural resources and biodiversity,” the minister remarked.
He added that urban agriculture was becoming more important with more than 80 per cent of food projected to be consumed in expanding cities by 2050 and the current environmental crises. The minister also mentioned that the need for shifting food production to urban areas was strongly emerging.
He noted that urban disasters were as a result of run-off generation and river routing mechanisms, that had been altered by anthropogenic activities in a variety of ways due to urbanisation. He said land, artificial drainage and climate warming effects, such as high intensity rains, were causing floods.
Disasters
He went on to say that an in-depth profiling of Eswatini’s condition with regard to sustainable green cities indicators would help to inform the extent at which urban areas needed to undertake in developing disaster management plans, and preparedness strategies to prevent potential disasters, as well as mitigate impacts on existing catastrophes.
The minister also stated that such a profiler would also provide urban and peri-urban food systems elements in relation to production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption of food.
This will also impact on socio-economic and environmental standing. On another note, he assured the FAO and Ministry of Tourism that the ministry, through ELGA, was committed to the project with its endeavour towards ensuring a better and sustainable future for cities and their residents.
Meanwhile, Mbuli said it had always been his wish to see ELGA taking its rightful place in the development of local government by bringing initiatives to local authorities to address the many challenges facing their space.
“Honourable minister, the journey towards getting the over E16 million funds from the Green Climate Fund has not been an easy one. But thanks to the country’s National Designated Authority, Ms Khangezile Mabuza, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, for her unwavering commitment to seeing this project through,” he appreciated.
Impact
Mbuli said the project would not have come at a better time, as the impact of climate change in towns and cities was now evident.
He said ELGA, as a vehicle for the development of local government, should, therefore, take lead in mitigating the effects of climate change and switching to green cities, making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Meanwhile, FAO Eswatini Assistant Representative, Khanyisile Mabuza said climate change and variability were evident in Eswatini and the country still faced a number of readiness gaps and barriers, which limited the potential for climate change adaptation and mitigation, particularly in urban and peri-urban communities.
“Limited baselines deprive an informed policy directive towards the switch to green cities and making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable,” Khanyisile said.
The assistant representative further mentioned that the main objective of the readiness proposal was to prepare for public and private investment in sustainable green infrastructure.