The District Climate Change Summit held in 2011, recognised the need for all CHDM Directorates to mainstream Climate Change protocols in the delivery of services e.g. human settlement, water services, sanitation services, led programmes. The District has since committed itself to a sustainable development and protection of the environment for future generations. Together with the Department of Environmental Affairs, we are conducting natural resource rehabilitation projects and alien vegetation eradication through EPWP in order to mitigate these challenges.
We have since established an Environment and Climate Change Forum to engage stakeholders on Environment and Climate Change issues. On the other hand, the Department continues to conduct environmental awareness and educational campaigns throughout the district in order to raise the levels of awareness around issues of greening and beautification. About 860 trees have been planted since May 2012 and the Department has committed itself to plant more in the coming years. All these efforts seek to reduce the impact of climate change in our communities and rather promote greener societies that shall enrich our environment.
These initiatives saw Inkwanca Municipality winning the Provincial Greenest Municipality Award in November 2012. All LMs have prioritised environmental responsible behavioural patterns and make it their daily business. A draft District Wide Adaptation and Mitigation Strategy has been developed. This strategy will assist the district in dealing with issues of renewable energy (solar energy, bio-fuels, clean technologies, wind turbines) waste management (land fill sites) and other climate change programmes better than before. We pride ourselves of three crowns project and will be replicated in other villages and schools in future.