Mother City should declare a climate emergency before another crisis hits

THE Cape Argus carried an interesting story from Reuters, about climate scientists coming out in support of the climate disobedience campaign being waged in London.

It shows that protests will intensify and compel citizens from all walks of life to a common cause.

The fact that 400 British climate scientists, in spite of their previous reservations about endorsing the growing civil disobedience, feeling emboldened to take on the role of activists is indeed a momentous and historic watershed.

Architects, musicians and others are also making their collective voices heard and are joining in the demand that governments act with greater urgency in tackling climate change.

Twenty of the protesting scientists, “wearing white laboratory coats to symbolise their research credentials,” declared that “government inaction over the climate and ecological crisis” justified their protest.

I am keenly aware of all manner of storms that are brewing for us as politicians to face. That is why I chose pro-actively and pre-emptively to table a motion on October 31, asking the Cape Town city council to declare a climate emergency.

The writing is on the wall. People want swift and decisive action. We cannot allow what happened with the water crisis to play out again.

To show genuine earnestness of purpose it is imperative that the declaration is followed up with an action plan. I wish to see the following six-point action plan being implemented:

1. Acknowledge we are in a climate emergency.

2. Back that up with an action plan, resources and a timetable to achieve key targets.

3. Curb carbon emission with vigour & purpose within a decade.

4. Develop a green New Deal.

5. Engage the public continuously through a citizens assembly.

6. Facilitate a just transition to the new city-economy to secure workers rights and livelihoods.

If we act swiftly and strategically as a council, we will avoid a host of problems and save Cape Town’s financially hard-pressed citizens the burden of additional and excessive costs arising from the repair and rehabilitation of infrastructure destroyed by mega-storms.

Let us act out of conviction and volition and not under duress, as will happen if we fail to speed up climate action. London is under siege. Cape Town should avoid that fate. FAROUK CASSIM | Cope