150
3 eThekwini’s Green and Ecological Infrastructure Policy Landscape
is capital-centric and views the capital or financial resources as the ‘agent’ of change
(Herod 2007). Therefore, the water fund could act as a catalyst for eThekwini to
realise its water security aspirations through ecological infrastructure projects.
The hub and compact approach
eThekwini signed the DAC in 2011, and as the Charter Secretariat, it drives the
implementation of the DAC, which has resulted in the development of the hub and
compact approach (Respondent 9) (p. 124) for the implementation of the charter.
This approach is a network of those networks that are involved in collaborative
climate change adaptation action. The strategy started with the foundation of a partnership between Durban and Fort Lauderdale in the United States of America (USA).
The two cities began with a series of city-to-city exchanges that enhanced peer-topeer learning outcomes within the areas that had a mutual adaptation interest (DAC
Secretariat 2020).
As mentioned by Respondent 12 in Table 3.4 (p. 124), the DAC is an outflow of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC’s) Conference
of the Parties (COP 17), which was held in Durban in November 2011. The Charter
is linked directly to the IPCC’s call ‘…for more extensive and rapid adaptation than
is currently occurring to reduce vulnerability to climate change’ (DAC 2011).
The Charter contains several clauses that are directly related to climate change,
as well as adaptation and mitigation measures. The first of these articles commits the
signatories to ‘…climate change adaptation as a key consideration in all local government development strategies and spatial development frameworks’ (DAC 2011: 2).
The link between D’MOSS (p. 125) and climate adaptation is obvious in this clause.
Secondly, the Charter urges members to ‘understand climate risks through conducting
impact and vulnerability assessments’ and, thirdly, to ‘Prepare and implement integrated, inclusive and long-term local adaptation strategies designed to reduce vulnerability’ (DAC 2011: 2). Furthermore, the signatories need to link the adaptation and
mitigation strategies and to promote the use of adaptation, which recognises the needs
of vulnerable communities and ensures sustainable local development. Clause 6 states
that they should, ‘prioritise the role of functioning ecosystems as core municipal
green infrastructure’ (DAC 2011: 2). In Clause 9, the Charter promotes multi-level
and integrated governance and advocates for sub-national and national government
partnerships on climate action, while Clause 10 envisages the promotion of partnerships at all levels, as well as city-to-city cooperation and a knowledge exchange
(DAC 2011).
In this respect, the Charter promotes institutionalised twinning between eThekwini and other cities in Europe, North America and southern Africa. It is also linked
structurally to global climate change governance, at a local government level, through
biodiversity protection, and more specifically, through green infrastructure initiatives. The Charter, therefore, is the structural expression of an empirical reality that
climate change exists and that cities must improve the situation through organisational cooperation and by using international and operational innovations at a local
level.
3 eThekwini’s Green and Ecological Infrastructure Policy Landscape
is capital-centric and views the capital or financial resources as the ‘agent’ of change
(Herod 2007). Therefore, the water fund could act as a catalyst for eThekwini to
realise its water security aspirations through ecological infrastructure projects.
The hub and compact approach
eThekwini signed the DAC in 2011, and as the Charter Secretariat, it drives the
implementation of the DAC, which has resulted in the development of the hub and
compact approach (Respondent 9) (p. 124) for the implementation of the charter.
This approach is a network of those networks that are involved in collaborative
climate change adaptation action. The strategy started with the foundation of a partnership between Durban and Fort Lauderdale in the United States of America (USA).
The two cities began with a series of city-to-city exchanges that enhanced peer-topeer learning outcomes within the areas that had a mutual adaptation interest (DAC
Secretariat 2020).
As mentioned by Respondent 12 in Table 3.4 (p. 124), the DAC is an outflow of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC’s) Conference
of the Parties (COP 17), which was held in Durban in November 2011. The Charter
is linked directly to the IPCC’s call ‘…for more extensive and rapid adaptation than
is currently occurring to reduce vulnerability to climate change’ (DAC 2011).
The Charter contains several clauses that are directly related to climate change,
as well as adaptation and mitigation measures. The first of these articles commits the
signatories to ‘…climate change adaptation as a key consideration in all local government development strategies and spatial development frameworks’ (DAC 2011: 2).
The link between D’MOSS (p. 125) and climate adaptation is obvious in this clause.
Secondly, the Charter urges members to ‘understand climate risks through conducting
impact and vulnerability assessments’ and, thirdly, to ‘Prepare and implement integrated, inclusive and long-term local adaptation strategies designed to reduce vulnerability’ (DAC 2011: 2). Furthermore, the signatories need to link the adaptation and
mitigation strategies and to promote the use of adaptation, which recognises the needs
of vulnerable communities and ensures sustainable local development. Clause 6 states
that they should, ‘prioritise the role of functioning ecosystems as core municipal
green infrastructure’ (DAC 2011: 2). In Clause 9, the Charter promotes multi-level
and integrated governance and advocates for sub-national and national government
partnerships on climate action, while Clause 10 envisages the promotion of partnerships at all levels, as well as city-to-city cooperation and a knowledge exchange
(DAC 2011).
In this respect, the Charter promotes institutionalised twinning between eThekwini and other cities in Europe, North America and southern Africa. It is also linked
structurally to global climate change governance, at a local government level, through
biodiversity protection, and more specifically, through green infrastructure initiatives. The Charter, therefore, is the structural expression of an empirical reality that
climate change exists and that cities must improve the situation through organisational cooperation and by using international and operational innovations at a local
level.