Residents of a social housing project, Tshedzani Phase 3, in Roodepoort, say they feel relatively safer, in Johannesburg.
This is thanks to a project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), that installed solar-powered equipment in public housing units across South Africa’s biggest city, through the City of Johannesburg.
Nntuthuzelo Ndwandwa, 39, a resident of Tshedzani, said “we are safe during load shedding…I’m also guaranteed hot water in the morning. It has made my life so much easier.”
Another resident, Catherine Gugulethe Mbuyisa, 55, said “cars would be hijacked, washing would be stolen. But since the installation of solar power, we haven’t experienced any of those problems and I’ve saved a lot in terms of electricity.”
Cities are hotbeds of climate solutions, argues the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
About 56% of the world’s population live in cities. Almost 1,2 billion of these people already face climate-related risks, including rising seas and heatwaves.
At the same time, urban areas consume around 75 per cent of the world’s energy and produce around 70 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a report by the International Energy Agency.
Urbanization is increasing the impact of cities on the environment and economy.
Martin Krause, Director of the UN Environment Programme’s Climate Change Division, said “by adopting integrated approaches to support green, affordable housing, waste management and clean energy access for communities thriving amidst verdant natural spaces, cities like Johannesburg are leading the way to a sustainable urban future that benefits people, natural ecosystems and the global environment.”
The GEF project, initiated back in 2020, focused on five key areas, including retrofitting social housing, increasing food resilience through sustainable urban farming, boosting biodegradable waste management and increasing evidence-based planning.
Through the project, solar water heaters were fitted to 172 units, along with solar panels and lithium-ion batteries, energy-saving lighting and water-saving components.
In addition, about 8,000 square metres of land, is now under organic production and waiting for certification. Residents were also trained in many aspects of sustainability, including recycling.
A biodigester plant is under construction to turn waste into energy.
Picture: UNEP