The Nelson Mandela Bay Chamber President Loyiso Dotwana has encouraged all stakeholders in Nelson Mandela Bay to rally behind a Climate Resilience and Development Plan, so as to enable the Metro to unleash its true potential for the benefit of all.
Dotwana made this call at the Presidential Climate Commission’s stakeholder workshop which was held at the Eastern Cape Training Centre today.
Nelson Mandela Bay and eThekwini are the two ‘pilot’ projects for the Presidential Climate Commisison.
He said all stakeholders must collaborate to not only mitigate against the risks of climate change but also to tap into potential opportunities the city has to offer.
He further emphasised that the Metro should work towards building a green path of development that focuses on its manufacturing strength, natural resources and its people, to ensure that it becomes resilient to climate changes while also empowering its people to use the coming change as a platform to grow the local economy.
“When one looks at the chaos around us, it is becoming increasingly clear that all stakeholders, from all segments of our communities and regardless of our political affiliations – need to focus on what brings us together, and not what divides us. I can’t think of a better reason than what we are here to initiate today, the creation of a collaborative plan, to not only mitigate against the risks of climate change but also to tap into potential opportunities if offers our metro,” said Dotwana.
He emphasised the need for all stakeholders to do this as Africans as Western economic models have largely been designed off the basis of human beings being separate from nature, extracting resources at will, and then dumping this waste. “The world’s climate has and is changing as a consequence.”
While Africa has contributed only 2-3% of global emissions, it is disproportionately the most vulnerable region in the world. This is driven by low levels of socio-economic growth in the continent.
“Ironically, the attempt by the Western world to undo the impact of their actions, by switching cars from internal combustion engines to electric-powered, will impact this metro’s automotive industry fundamentally over the next few years,” said Dotwana.
Dotwana said it was thus critical for the government to support the auto manufacturers to build their electric vehicles locally and this starts with finalising the Auto Green Paper on electric vehicles. “This must be urgently done to ensure that there is certainty and support in place to enable the transition to take place. If it does not happen, and Europe is our biggest export market for the cars we build here, our main industry, and ultimately the metro’s survival will be under threat,” he said.
He also said it was important how the Metro embraces a Climate Resilient and Development Plan. He said the city has a window of opportunity by building from its current adversity to leverage the resources the city has, such as:
Being a global centre for manufacturing excellence – as demonstrated by our highly skilled people in the automotive and other manufacturing sectors;
- We have two ports, an SEZ, and a strong citrus industry;
- We have 5 biomes, making Nelson Mandela Bay one of the most diverse cities in the world;
- We have 9 nature reserves, 8 major water courses and some of the world’s best beaches;
- We are bordered by a wilderness area and a national park;
- We have an abundance of wind and sun;
- And we have a bay that is a unique and bio-diversity rich marine ecosystem.
Coupled with all of this and given the water challenges of our metro, Dotwana said the Metro needs to ensure that it preserves its water supply by keeping the catchment areas such as the Baakens River Valley, Swartkopos, Chatty or Van der Kemp’s Kloof, clean from exotic species and waste. Using green engineering solutions to slow the water down will not only allow for better recharging of our aquifers, but create green spaces our communities can play and thrive in.
Dotwana concluded: “This green model built here in Africa, must involve all of us to succeed – across the diverse communities and businesses of our metro.”
Alan Straton
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