Climate change
Tackling climate change and becoming more resilient in our homes, places of work and as a Cape Town community requires the participation and collaboration of each of us. Each of us can take simple actions, some big and some small, to contribute.
What is climate change?
Climate change is a global threat which has already caused significant economic, social and environmental impacts.
Capetonians are familiar with the impact due to the recent drought, but by working together, we reduced water use by 50% in record time, to avoid the worst. This collaborative action is what we need to become more resilient, stronger and help reduce the impacts of climate change.
How does climate change affect Cape Town?
Our city is facing the following climatic changes:
- Decreasing levels of average annual rainfall and changing seasonality of rainfall, which affects the amount of water we have access to.
- An increase in the average annual temperature and increased maximum temperatures, which means an increase in hotter days, and more frequent and intense
heat waves.
- An increase in the average wind and maximum wind strength.
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Rising sea levels and increased coastal erosion.
What we need to do to tackle climate change
Cape Town, along with other cities in South Africa and worldwide, has committed to achieving carbon neutrality and climate resilience by 2050. Reducing global warming is key.
These targets can only be reached through significant transitions in urban form, energy sources, transportation and resource efficiency. Key elements are cleaning up our sources of electricity, making the built environment more efficient and the electrification of transport.
What is carbon neutrality?
Carbon neutrality means introducing new technologies to clean up the fuels and activities that cause greenhouse gas emissions, while enhancing our social, economic and environmental goals. Read more about the
City’s Carbon Neutral 2050 commitment.
What is the City doing?
We have
committed to achieve carbon neutrality and climate resilience by 2050. Along with the
Climate Change Strategy, we have developed a
Climate Change Action Plan and
summary that sets the pathway towards this goal.
CCT Climate Change Action Plan Summary
Download a summary of the full action plan
Download PDF We have many programmes in place that support climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience, and are working towards significantly growing these.
Adaption
In the adaptation and resilience work area, projects include:
Mitigation
To reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, our efforts include:
We are reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Over the last 10 years, our energy efficiency in municipal operations programme has saved over 231 GWH of electricity. This is enough electricity to power 35 clinics over 10 years and translates into 229 035 tons of avoided carbon emissions.
Some highlights
- 60 City buildings retrofitted to make them more efficient
- All traffic lights retrofitted with LED lights
- 563 kWp installed rooftop solar PV
- 34% of streetlights retrofitted
Let’s act for a stronger Cape Town
Our new climate change response and resilience campaign,
Let’s ACT. For a stronger Cape Town, aims to enable and support everyone to take action for a stronger, healthier and more resilient Cape Town.
Actions you can take in your homes/workplaces:
- Buy energy efficient appliances.
- Buy sustainably produced and organic food where possible. Let their local shops know that they demand more sustainable products.
- Change the light bulbs in the home to more energy efficient ones.
- Empower colleagues with knowledge about sustainability and practical solutions in the office such as reducing paper printing.
- Investigate how their community, neighbourhood watch and church can get involved in climate and community action to make us all, and our city, more resilient.
- Invest in a
solar PV system or a solar water heater and also save on electricity bills.
- Plant indigenous water-wise plants and trees in the garden.
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Reduce, re-use and recycle, including organic waste through home composting.
- Reduce water usage in the home.
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Start or support a neighbourhood food garden.
- Switch off non-essential lights.
- Teach children about living more sustainably.
- Walk or cycle to the local shop.
Join us and take action against climate change, for a stronger Cape Town.
What is a carbon footprint?
Your carbon footprint measures how much carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases you create, depending on your lifestyle. The more waste you produce, the bigger your carbon footprint is.
Remember: The manufacturing, packaging, transport and disposal of the products you use all produce greenhouse gases.
Document downloads
-
Carbon Neutral 2050 Commitment
30/07/2020, Strategy - 1.2 MB
Climate Change Action Plan 2021
28/09/2021, Action plan - 7.8 MB
Climate Change Action Plan 2021 Summary
06/10/2021, Action plan - 14.7 MB
Climate Change Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Economic Risk Analysis Report
09/04/2019, Analysis report - 7 MB
Climate Change Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Inception Report
06/04/2018, Report - 48.3 MB
Climate Change Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment: Climate Resilience Investment Manual
01/09/2019, Guideline - 5.7 MB
Climate Change Strategy
27/05/2021, Strategy - 17.2 MB
Green House Gas Mitigation Presentation CSIR
01/06/2021, Presentation - 4 MB
Green House Gas Mitigation Report CSIR
01/01/2021, Report - 3.2 MB
Independent Power Producers FAQs
23/01/2026, FAQs - 663 KB
Smart Home Disclosure Checklist
07/11/2022, Checklist - 197.3 KB
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