Harkeb
June 30th, 2008, 04:03 PM
'Rising seas threat to coastal towns'
June 27 2008 at 12:32PM
Rising sea levels are likely to have a profound impact on Cape Town in the not too distant future, in particular on the livelihoods and circumstances of poor people, according to an international climate change expert.
Addressing a United Nations University project workshop in the city on Thursday, University of London professor David Simon urged city and provincial officials to ensure that global environmental changes were built into plans for the future.
More than 40 researchers from around the world are participating in the project workshop, titled "Beyond the tipping point: African development in an urban world."
The project is funded by the United Nations University's World Institute for Development Economics Research and jointly directed by Jo Beall, Basudeb Guha-Khasnobis and Ravi Kanbur.
The Isandla Institute is the local host for the workshop.
One of the most immediate worries is the salination of the water table brought about both by rising sea levels and by the storms that are becoming more frequent and more powerful.
Both are consequences of climate change and global warming, along with gradual decreases in rainfall, the expansion of deserts and the inundation of coastal areas by rising sea waters.
Addressing the workshop, Simon said large parts of Cape Town, in particular the Cape Flats, were only a couple of metres above sea level.
It wouldn't be long, looking at current predictions, before the water table under these sections of the city became salty and unsuitable for agriculture.
Rising salt levels would start to erode concrete structures and would also ensure naturally occurring water could not be consumed.
In addition, coastal livelihoods such as fishing were also threatened, which would impact on the city's poorer residents.
Experts were concerned not only about Cape Town, but about the countless towns, cities and settlements on the continent's coasts that faced slowly developing, but increasingly evident danger from a changing environment.
It had become essential that city planners take note of the predictions and likely impact of climate change, Simon argued.
The failure to implement measures like improved stormwater drainage and raised roadways could mean that investment in housing and infrastructure would be wasted as it would be overwhelmed by the changing environment.
"If global environmental change isn't addressed, it will undermine all the other initiatives, whether addressing shanty towns and slums, or addressing poverty reduction," Simon said.
"The key challenge is to raise awareness about the urgency despite the long term, slow nature of climate change."
June 27 2008 at 12:32PM
Rising sea levels are likely to have a profound impact on Cape Town in the not too distant future, in particular on the livelihoods and circumstances of poor people, according to an international climate change expert.
Addressing a United Nations University project workshop in the city on Thursday, University of London professor David Simon urged city and provincial officials to ensure that global environmental changes were built into plans for the future.
More than 40 researchers from around the world are participating in the project workshop, titled "Beyond the tipping point: African development in an urban world."
The project is funded by the United Nations University's World Institute for Development Economics Research and jointly directed by Jo Beall, Basudeb Guha-Khasnobis and Ravi Kanbur.
The Isandla Institute is the local host for the workshop.
One of the most immediate worries is the salination of the water table brought about both by rising sea levels and by the storms that are becoming more frequent and more powerful.
Both are consequences of climate change and global warming, along with gradual decreases in rainfall, the expansion of deserts and the inundation of coastal areas by rising sea waters.
Addressing the workshop, Simon said large parts of Cape Town, in particular the Cape Flats, were only a couple of metres above sea level.
It wouldn't be long, looking at current predictions, before the water table under these sections of the city became salty and unsuitable for agriculture.
Rising salt levels would start to erode concrete structures and would also ensure naturally occurring water could not be consumed.
In addition, coastal livelihoods such as fishing were also threatened, which would impact on the city's poorer residents.
Experts were concerned not only about Cape Town, but about the countless towns, cities and settlements on the continent's coasts that faced slowly developing, but increasingly evident danger from a changing environment.
It had become essential that city planners take note of the predictions and likely impact of climate change, Simon argued.
The failure to implement measures like improved stormwater drainage and raised roadways could mean that investment in housing and infrastructure would be wasted as it would be overwhelmed by the changing environment.
"If global environmental change isn't addressed, it will undermine all the other initiatives, whether addressing shanty towns and slums, or addressing poverty reduction," Simon said.
"The key challenge is to raise awareness about the urgency despite the long term, slow nature of climate change."