West Rand District Municipality signs the Durban Commitment

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 enhance biodiversity at a local level.

In signing the Durban Commitment, West Rand District Municipality now joins the leading local governments from across the world as a partner committed to protecting and sustainably utilising and managing local biodiversity and demonstrates its commitment to integrate biological considerations into all aspects of local governance and development planning.

Signing the Durban Commitment is also one of the key outcomes of the Local Action for Biodiversity: Wetlands SA programme (LAB Wetlands SA) which is being implemented across South Africa as a result of US Agency for International Development support. The key goal of the LAB: Wetlands SA programme is to protect priority natural wetland resources, thus enabling the supply of ecosystem services, and promoting resilient communities and sustainable local economies under a changing climate within South African local governments.

These initiatives currently being undertaken reflect the good work and the push of West Rand District Municipality to ensure that their actions align with the key aims of the West Rand Integrated Development Plan including “Ensuring that environmental assets and natural resources are well protected and continually enhanced… and ensuring that precious natural resources are available for future generations”.