UCT Sustainability and the SDGs 2022 - Magazine - Page 30
SDG 13
CLIMATE CHANGE
Africa is the continent most vulnerable to climate change,
despite contributing the least to global emissions. Droughts,
昀氀oods and rising temperatures threaten food security,
biodiversity and economic stability across the region.
Community engagement
Climate change workshop for teachers in
rural schools
In 2024, UCT’s African Climate and Development Initiative
Institutional initiatives
(ACDI) collaborated with several partners including the
University of the Witwatersrand’s (Wits) Rural Knowledge
Hub to present a workshop called “How can we survive
Taking climate action through campus leadership
the century?” at a Wits Rural Facility in Bushbuckridge,
In 2024, UCT reinforced its leadership among South African
Mpumalanga, South Africa. Aimed at grade 8-10 geography
universities by remaining one of only a few to publicly measure
and natural science teachers from the rural South African
and report its annual carbon footprint. UCT recorded a 20%
provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, the event brought
reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse-gas emissions
together 26 educators and local of昀椀cials to engage with
compared with 2019 levels – a major milestone on the path
leading researchers on climate change, food security, wildlife
to net-zero. These efforts towards positive climate action
tracking and carbon-footprint mitigation.
are driven by UCT’s dedicated Environmental Sustainability
Presentations covered global trends, local rainfall patterns
directorate and implemented through initiatives such as
and ways to enhance resilience among small-scale farmers.
the Khusela Ikamva project, which uses the university as
Participants
a living laboratory for carbon, water and waste solutions.
certi昀椀 cates of attendance.
received
classroom-ready
resources
and
Complementing these institutional actions, the Green
Through this initiative, UCT is extending climate education
Campus Initiative empowers students to lead peer-driven
beyond campus, equipping teachers – and by extension their
activities and events that embed a culture of environmental
students and communities – with knowledge and tools to
responsibility across the UCT community.
understand and act on climate change.
60 - Sustainability and the SDGs 2024
UCT’s ACDI collaborated with several partners to host a workshop for grade 8 to 10 geography and natural science
teachers titled: “How can we survive the century”. The event brought together 28 educators and local of昀椀cials from
rural provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
Sustainability and the SDGs 2024 – 61
