Key development systems
Energy & Climate
Partnering for energy security, sustainability and equity
Water Resilience
Building water resilience to strengthen water security
Built Environment
Collaboration for inclusive infrastructure delivery
Local Economic Development
Partnering for inclusive economic growth and employment
Wellbeing & Safety
Enhancing safety boosts economic growth and promotes community well-being.
EDP PROGRAMMES
Energy and Climate Change
Partnering for energy security, sustainability and equity
South Africa’s energy challenges require a systems approach that considers issues of inclusivity, safety, economy, and environment, among others. Collaboration across and between spheres of government, civil society and the private sector is crucial for a diversified and decentralised electricity generation system. The EDP brings adaptive partnering solutions for a rapidly changing regulatory environment that strengthen the renewable energy ecosystem and support the ‘just energy transition’.
Projects in this programme:
Engaging civil society in Cape Town’s Climate Change Strategy
Implementing the City of Cape Town’s Climate Change Strategy will require collaboration between residents, business, organisations, academia, international partners, and across government spheres. The EDP supports the City of Cape Town to engage productively with civil society in the climate and environment space around climate issues in support of implementing the City’s Climate Change Action plan. Although Cape Town is largely electrified, many informal households do not receive electricity from the grid. The EDP is working with the Centre for Sustainable Transitions (CST) to conduct stakeholder mapping and explore partnering opportunities to alleviate energy poverty in and around Cape Town, aligning with the broader vision of a ‘just energy transition’.
Partnering to address energy poverty in Cape Town
Although Cape Town is largely electrified, many informal households do not receive electricity from the grid. The EDP is working with the Centre for Sustainable Transitions (CST) to conduct stakeholder mapping and explore partnering opportunities to alleviate energy poverty in and around Cape Town, aligning with the broader vision of a ‘just energy transition’.
Energy Resilient Community Hubs
This project is funded by R-Cities in partnership with the City of Cape Town’s Sustainable Energy Markets Department. It is designed as a community-level response to energy poverty for backyarders and other vulnerable residents. The project aims to enhance climate and energy resilience in low-income areas by working towards ‘energy-resilient community hubs’ made up of City-owned facilities for renewable energy and battery backup.
Shared Ownership of Renewable Resources
In this project, the concept of social ownership of renewable energy sources is being explored in Cape Town. By collaborating with officials, CSOs and experts, the project team is developing financial and regulatory frameworks to which will form part of an implementation guideline document for applying these models effectively. The aim of the project is to democratise renewable energy access through local stakeholder participation.
Local Just Transitions
The EDP and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) are establishing the Local Just Transitions Network (LJTN). This network aims to foster a community of municipal leaders who understand the Just Transition (JT), its risks and opportunities. The project enhances leaders’ understanding, addresses perceptions and promotes strategies to integrate JT into local agendas, building cooperation among community, political and administrative actors.