WESSA (the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) recently ran a short workshop on “Environmental issues and municipal decision making” for a group of Cape Town ward councillors appointed after the municipal elections held in May this year. The workshop provided a holistic understanding of the present environmental landscape in South Africa and covered issues such as energy, water, waste biodiversity and land-use planning. It was intended to help councilors in achieving the sustainable development of our country at a local level during their tenure as councillors. Important connections between national and provincial environmental legislation, local bylaws were highlighted.

Each of the two-hour interactive sessions explored issues such as the difference between the letter and the spirit of the law, the importance of public participation, co-operative governance, ethics and environmental justice. Councillors participated energetically, contributing innovative ideas and anecdotes from the coalface, the real world of hard decision making and intractable problems. One of the workshop activities involved the ward representatives being tasked with outlining a diagram of development using a piece of string, considering economic, social and environmental elements. The results were interesting and diverse. One represented the economy as the stomach of a figure with the arms and legs reaching into the environment and causing impacts. Another linked people and the economy bordered around by the environment. Yet another showed a small environmental circle dragged down by a chocking noose of people and economy. The results indicated a very real concern about the challenge of unsustainable development pathways.

Based on the activities and demonstrations, as well as discussions conducted during the sessions, more detailed training opportunities for councilors were outlined including:

• Waste reduction – S outh African legislation and international best
  practice
• Energy options for low-cost housing
• Climate change basics and c arbon footprint calculation
• Land-use planning and the biodiversity of the Western Cape
• The water cycle from catchment to coast
• Sewerage management options
• Rainwater harvesting
• Environmental Impact Assessment basics
• Alien invasive species of the Western Cape – challenges and solutions

The workshop followed a campaign run by WESSA Western Cape in the weeks preceding the May elections, where the organisation challenged voters to review the environmental standpoints of their ward candidates before casting their vote, and to choose party candidates and ward councilors who would keep environmental issues high on the agenda, while involving the local communities in the decision making process regarding issues such as commercial development on our local green spaces.

WESSA firmly believes that local Government needs to work together with civil society towards a sustainable and greener economy that will lead to improved human well-being and social equity, while confronting the threats of climate change and reducing environmental risks and the loss of biodiversity and natural services.