Durban - The climate change unit in the eThekwini Municipality is calling on communities to do their part in the fight against global warming.
Itumeleng Masenya, the manager in the Climate Change Mitigation Unit in the City, said the municipality could not win the fight against climate change alone, and needed the partnership of the business community as well as the public.
Speaking recently on the City’s online communication platform, eThekwini Matters, Masenya said residents could play their part by just adjusting their daily behaviour, including reducing their carbon footprint and planting trees.
The City has been affected by severe storms over the past few years, with last year’s severe flooding causing extensive loss of life and damage to homes and infrastructure.
The UN’s definition of climate change states that it is long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, mainly caused by human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels.
Speaking on the mandate of her office, Masenya said it was to assist different sectors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. She said members of the public could do much to contain the impact of climate change.
“We (the City) cannot do this alone, we rely on the private sector and the community to carry out simple acts like changing the mode of transport, she said, adding that the transport sector was one of the biggest contributors in terms of emissions in eThekwini.
“Where possible, we urge members of the public to use public transport. In the household, you can become water savvy, plant trees. Those small actions, they contribute,” she said.