Now on its third year in the continent, the Earth Hour City Challenge (EHCC) continues to expand the platform for local governments to showcase their sustainability initiatives. EHCC 2015-2016 features a mix of returning and new participating localities from South Africa, Tanzania and Rwanda. A round of inception workshops to introduce the challenge and support … Continued

ICLEI Africa is delighted to share a number of brand new resources designed to support developers and municipalities in South African and further afield to green urban infrastructure and buildings . The resources were designed through the Urban-LEDS (Urban Low Emission Development Strategies) project, with the expert assistance of MCA Urban and Environmental Planners, Steadfast … Continued

West Rand District Municipality has demonstrated a strong political commitment to protect and enhance local biodiversity by signing the Durban Commitment: Local Governments for Biodiversity. The Durban Commitment was developed, founded and signed by 21 local governments as a commitment and model by local governments for local governments, and the communities they serve, to protect and … Continued

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) is pleased to announce the unveiling of the Grootkloof Environmental Education Centre, situated in the Van der Kemp’s Kloof Nature Reserve in Port Elizabeth. This centre has been built by the local municipality with the aim of providing a venue for environmental education to the local community. Funding was allocated to … Continued

The South African Development Community (SADC) will be hosting the SADC Water Week-South Africa during a three-day event from 29 – 31 July 2015. The South African Development Community (SADC) in partnership with South Africa’s Department of Water and Sanitation, the South African Water Research Commission and the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa will be … Continued

ICLEI member The City of Cape Town will be undertaking a review of its big spend areas to assess where the greatest environmental impact can be achieved. The review will form part of the City’s commitment to increasingly include green procurement criteria into its bid specifications and evaluation for key products and services in an … Continued

The CBC are in the last month before the Biodiversity Summit for Cities and Subnational Governments, please a look at their exciting weekly updates on programme developments, hot topics and Summit information. NOW OPEN FOR COMMENT: Gangwon / Pyeongchang Declaration on Cities and Subnational Governments for Biodiversity The history: At each of the previous biodiversity … Continued

Globally 2.6 billion people lack access to basic sanitation. In addition, approximately 200 million people per year are victims of disasters which impede access to existing sanitation facilities. As the sphere of government closest to the people, local governments are often responsible not only for sanitation service delivery, but also the first line of response … Continued

KwaDukuza Municipality worked collaboratively with ICLEI Africa staff and local stakeholders to identify new and existing projects, policies and actions to help it transition to its low-emission 2030 vision. The vision and six key transition areas were developed in a recent collaborative scenario planning process which was creatively shared with the local community. Over the course of one and … Continued

ICLEI Canada and the Toronto and Region Conservation launch their latest resource on biodiversity, biodiverCities: A Primer on Nature in Cities! With the majority of the world’s population living in urban areas, its time to ask how they can become more livable, sustainable and resilient. biodiverCities explores why biodiversity should be the business of everyone committed … Continued