Mainstreaming Climate Change in Urban Development: Lessons from Cape Town

Cape Town's drought crisis grabbed global headlines in 2018 and its causes and solutions were - and continue to be - hotly debated. But managing water shortages and other climate change impacts have been integrated into the city's urban policy-making for some time, in response to rapid urbanisation and uncertainty about the exact nature, timing, and magnitude of city-scale climatic changes. This book presents initiatives at the local government level, across a range of departments, from environmental resource management to housing, stormwater management, water management, energy management and spatial planning. In addition, it records the progress made and challenges faced in mainstreaming climate change into urban policies. The text was co-produced by academics and municipal officials, including economists, engineers, ecologists, geographers and planners, who worked collaboratively in a process of mutual learning.