Johannesburg has received crucial technical support for climate-resilient infrastructure following the C40 Mayor’s Roundtable and CFO Technical Workshop in Nairobi, Kenya.
The C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF) will provide vital technical support to help Johannesburg develop flood-alleviation infrastructure in flood-prone areas, aligning with the municipal Climate Action Plan (CAP), which is centred on streamlining flood management by 2030 to minimise the social, economic, and environmental impacts of flooding.
The Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Finance, Cllr Dada Morero, represented the Executive Mayor, Cllr Kabelo Gwamanda, at the C40 Mayors’ Roundtable on Financing Climate Action for Green Jobs between Tuesday, 5 and Wednesday, 6 September.
“Following the adoption of the CAP, the City adopted the Green Building Policy for implementation in new buildings, which aims to actively promote resource-efficient designs, construction, and operational practises for all new buildings, including major refurbishments. This was done to mitigate the lifecycle impacts of buildings on the environment while maximising positive social and economic impacts,” MMC Morero told delegates.
The City is susceptible to urban flooding. Increased frequency and severity of flooding events are one of the most severe climate change risks facing Johannesburg, particularly in informal settlements. Areas like Alexandra have been affected by floods in recent times, which have caused the loss of lives, livelihoods, and property.
MMC Morero said the first step to increasing investment in climate action implementation was to ensure climate change was an intrinsic part of the City’s programmes and plans. This would ensure that the municipal budget is structured in such a way that it supports both mitigation and adaptation actions, thus creating opportunities for sustainable green jobs.
“A municipal budget that is climate-friendly would encourage investor confidence in Johannesburg, attracting more funds for green infrastructure, clean energy, and nature-based solutions.”
In 2021, C40 conducted research on potential green jobs that could be realised through the implementation of climate actions. According to this research, the City could potentially create and support over 340,000 jobs through the implementation of climate mitigation actions by 2030.
The targeted jobs would have been realised in the areas of building energy efficiency, sustainable transport, clean energy, and waste management. Over 140,000 of these jobs were expected to come from actions related to new energy-efficient homes and other buildings.
The C40 Mayor’s Roundtable and CFO Technical Workshop took place in parallel with the Africa Climate Summit that took place from Monday, 4 and Tuesday, 5 September and the Africa Climate Week scheduled between Monday, 4 to Friday, 8 September. The Summit aimed to share and track how climate action contributed to the creation of green jobs in cities and discussed opportunities and best practises in securing funds to generate sustainable green jobs in African cities.
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