​The City is fully in support of this initiative and has been at the forefront of the fight to diversify energy resources in South Africa to ensure that everyone has access to cleaner, more affordable energy.

‘The City is also looking at the sustainability and resilience of Cape Town in general. This includes becoming a water sensitive city, an ecologically healthy city and one that makes innovative plans for the management of landfill sites, enhanced recycling and reducing our waste footprint.

‘We say the youth is our future and if we believe that, we must listen to our youth. As a local government, we’ve undertaken to submit the memorandum from Cape Town’s learners to our President as the voices of the youth must be heard. ​​​

‘Today we are also demanding that South Africa move away from its heavy reliance on destructive fossil fuels towards cleaner sources of energy which could create many jobs and reduce poverty and inequality.

‘Climate change action is now regarded as an emergency intervention to avoid massive global societal, economic and environmental impacts. At the same time, it presents us with an opportunity to create the future that we want.

​​ ‘We have taken our fight to move away from Eskom’s fossil fuel-based energy supply to the Court as we want to be able to buy cleaner energy from independent power producers. Cities can play a huge role in immediately reducing the levels of carbon emissions and increasing resilience to future shocks,’ said Councillor Maxiti.
 
Tackling climate change forms part of the City’s Integrated Development Plan priorities. Achieving these priorities will change the way in which the City functions to make Cape Town more inclusive, sustainable, efficient and resilient and ultimately, a better place to live.
 

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The protest demands include:
• Ramping up of emergency response at the provincial and national level
• Curtailing the roll out of new coal-fired power stations and fossil fuel mining licenses
• Committing to a rapid acceleration to 100% renewable energy generation
• Creating a mandatory climate education curriculum for South Africa
• Prioritising the restoration of degraded landscapes and funding of ecological infrastructure
 
These demands are consistent with the City’s current climate change actions and commitments.
 
Between 21 and 27 September 2019 the African Climate Alliance is inviting everyone to participate in a Week of Positive Action for the climate in their communities from beach clean-ups to urban gardening and recycled art workshops.
 
Fast facts
• The City has committed to the C40 Deadline 2020: Climate Action Planning in Africa and to the C40 South Africa Buildings programmes to help expedite the Paris Climate Change Agreement which is aimed at avoiding a climate catastrophe. These efforts are an extension of the City’s Energy2040 Goal in accordance with the City’s Climate Change Policy.
• Last month, the City’s Council approved the first ever Resilience Strategy for Cape Town.
 
 
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