Strategic Planning and the Environment: Cape Town Perspectives Gregg Oelofse: Environmental Policy and Strategy City of Cape Town

Context: Environmental Strategy Remains a Key Challenge In a developing context where: Service provision Economic growth Poverty alleviation Social development Must remain urban priorities Where massive disparities in wealth and living standards remain Environmental management and sustainable development risk being left as peripheral issues

Key Challenge: Environmental Paradigm Comes from a history of protectionist activism Stuck in a people or environment dialogue As a result remains on the periphery Has to shift toward broader principles of common good, quality living environments, urban health, recreation and proactive integration into urban planning Shift to an ecosystems approach

Key Opportunity: Environmental Integration with Spatial Planning City planners are central to environmental outcomes Environmental issues and objectives must be integrated into planning City planning must take the lead in environmental planning and strategy City of Cape Town’s SDF has integrated key environmental objectives: Biodiversity and ecosystems EMF’s for district plans Coastal Edge Urban Edge Planning must protect the built environment, cultural heritage and sense of place

Challenge: Better-understand the real cost and economics of the environment Real costs to ecosystem loss Under-estimate and under value “free” ecosystem services Capital costs of replacing ecosystem services Cape Town’s valuing of the natural environment: R2 - R6 billion annual benefit In comparison only 2,5% OPEX and 2,1% CAPEX invested Environmental sector has 1.2 to 2 times greater return than any other municipal expenditure Cost of poor environmental planning

Challenge: Environmental planning must reduce risk to the City and its communities We must entrench a long-term view over short-term gains Must make decisions in the interests of the many as opposed to the few Reduced risk means reduced economic cost and reduced opportunity costs Informed and wise decision making Ratepayers ultimately carry the cost

Challenge: Environmental legislation and compliance Strategies to facilitate environmental approvals of appropriate development Free up city development to enhance economic growth within environmental legislative frameworks Reduce costs of environmental approvals Lead by example through ensuring compliance Reduce negative association with environmental governance

Opportunity: Climate Change – the need for proactive planning Six key strategies if we are to adapt: Its not so much an environmental issue but a social and economic risk We need to trust the science Cannot continue with “business as usual” Demands strong and decisive leadership Shift local government toward longer term planning Shared responsibility – universities, business and civil society

In summary: Strategic lessons Sustainable development agenda risks being left on the periphery Need to move environmental management out of its historical protectionist context to a proactive urban approach. City planning and planners will ultimately determine environmental quality Need to understand the true economic value and role of our environmental assets Need to understand the real risks and costs of environmental degradation and loss Need a strategic approach to environmental legislation Climate change is not an environmental issue

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