A political stalemate for the environment
A political stalemate for the environment
5 June 2013
Could climate adaptation be blocked by a political stalemate at local government level?
“Local government is doing more than we think, but they are not doing enough,” said Lorena Pasquini (pictured), postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cape Town, in her lecture ‘Hot, or Not: Local Government and Climate Change Adaptation.’ Hers was the second in a series of lectures being hosted by the UCT as part of their ‘Climate Change Impacts & Adaptation Seminar Series 2013.’
Looking at climate change adaptation at local government level, Pasquini is now developing a programme of change to turn local government into effective sites for managing the diversity of challenges that can be expected from global environmental change, with a specific focus on climate change adaptation.
Local government is the key as “… they are the most responsible for policy and planning at the local level, where the effects are felt the most. They also have to deal with the actual consequences of climate change.” The research was conducted at various levels and this particular presentation was based on a summary of her research findings and is not indicative of any specific municipality or level of governance.