Academy of Science of South Africa workshop “Pathways towards a low carbon city” papers published

Papers presented at the Academy of Science of South Africa workshop “Pathways towards a low carbon city”, held at the UNFCC Conference of the Parties, Durban South Africa on 5 December 2011, are now available at  http://www.assaf.org.za/environment-energy-and-water/

• International initiatives on low carbon cities - Prof Jim Longhurst, University of the West of England
• Cities GHG emissions, inventorying and comparisons - Dr Shobhakar Dhakal, Global Carbon  Project                 
• Sustainable urban infrastructure to achieve a low carbon city – Prof Anu Ramaswami, University of Colorado Denver
• Climate change initiatives in the city of Durban – Dr Sean O’Donoghue, eThekwini Municipality
• Towards a Low Carbon City: focus on Durban – Prof Roseanne Diab,  ASSAf
• Opportunities for greening the buildings and industries – Dr Francis Yamba, University of Zambia
• Low carbon planning in cities – Prof Dave Dewar, University of Cape Town

Cop 17 ASSAf workshop

Professor Jim Longhust will be attending the ASSAf workshop Durban, December 5th 2011, Pathways towards a low carbon city next week.  He will be presenting on 'International initiatives on low carbon cities' and facilitating a workshop to discuss 'Should developing cities strive to be low carbon?'.

The agenda is now available at http://www.uwe.ac.uk/aqm/files/ASSAf%20programme_Pathways%20towards%20LCCs_CCR%20Expo_5%20Dec.pdf.

UNFCCC CoP 17

Jim Longhurst will be attending the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties 17 meeting in Durban, South Africa.

Jim will be a member of the Academy of Science  of South Africa Delegation and will speak at the CoP side event workshop “Pathways Towards Low Carbon Cities”

Academy of Science of South Africa Low Carbon Consensus Panel report published

The Academy of Science of South Africa Low Carbon Consensus Panel has now published their report Towards a Low Carbon City. AQMRC Director Jim Longhurst served on the panel and the full report can accessed at http://www.assaf.org.za/2011/08/durban-on-a-pathway-towards-a-low-carbon-city/

Full reference details are as follows:

Academy of Science of South Africa (2011) Towards a Low Carbon City. Focus on Durban. Report of the ASSAf Consensus Study on Low Carbon Cities. ASSAf, Pretoria, South Africa. pp263 ISBN 97809869835-4-2

AQMRC chosen to provide support to Dube Aerotropolis, Durban, South Africa in developing a Framework for Sustainability

AQMRC has been appointed to assist Dube Tradeport and Tongaat Hulett Developments to prepare a Framework for Sustainability as input into the preparation of the Dube Aerotropolis Regional Development Strategy. This exciting multi-disciplinary project brings together many Faculty of Environment and Technology colleagues including Dr Enda Hayes (Project Manager), Prof Jim Longhurst, Dr Tim Chatterton, Ms Jo Barnes and Ms Rose Bailey from AQMRC, other ISHE colleagues including Dr Sarah Hills, Dr Ian Smith, Dr Chad Staddon and Dr Nevil Quinn and external expertise from Visiting Research Fellow Dr Mark Everard. The project team will advise on sustainable development guidelines for the land use and infrastructural framework in the vicinity of the King Shaka International Airport, while supporting the client’s vision of working towards carbon and water neutrality for the area. The Dube Aerotropolis covers a radius of approximately 15 km around the recently opened King Shaka International Airport within the KwaDukuza Municipality north of the city of Durban. AQMRC will provide specialist advice on carbon emissions and management in the Aerotropolis area. This project builds on AQMRC experience in air and carbon management in Africa, including the Low Carbon Consensus Panel study for the Academy of Science of South Africa and the National Framework for Air Quality for the South African Government.

Low Carbon Cities Consensus Panel. Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)

Jim has recently returned from a visit to South Africa (3-9th October) where he attended the second meeting of the Academy of Science of South Africa’s Low Carbon Cities Consensus Panel. As part of his contribution to the work of the Panel, Jim and AQMRC colleagues prepared a review of carbon management plans and strategies that are being implemented in European capital cities. The overall goal of the ASSAf study is to identify key areas of intervention that would position the city of Durban on a pathway towards a low carbon future. The study has been commissioned by the Environmental Management Unit of the eThekwini Municipality (City of Durban) and the panel is led by the Executive Officer of ASSAf, Prof Roseanne Diab. The study is financially supported by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) See http://www.assaf.co.za/?page_id=998 for further details.

Low Carbon Cities

Professor Jim Longhurst is contributing to South Africa's moves towards a low carbon future. He has been invited by the Academy of Science of South Africa to serve on its high-profile Consensus Panel for Low Carbon Cities. The Panel held its first meeting in Pretoria, South Africa in February. The panel consists of international experts, including Professor Longhurst, together with experts from South Africa. During the next 18 months the panel will address mitigation and adaptation measures appropriate to South Africa, and to make recommendations based on evidence to support the national government's commitment to transition to a low-carbon economy. Professor Robin Crewe, President of the Academy of Science of South Africa said "Professor Longhurst has been invited to serve on this panel because of his expertise in the field." At the first meeting of the panel Jim presented a paper entitled 'Low Carbon Initiatives in British Cities'.

Enda presents...IUAPPA - NACA conference South Africa

Dr Enda Hayes will be presenting two papers at the 16th International Union of Air Pollution Prevention and Environmental Protection Associations (IUAPPA) regional conference in association with the annual meeting of the National Association for Clean Air (NACA) in South Africa this week. The conference will be held from 1st - 3rd October near the beautiful Kruger National Park under the theme of "Where did all the Clean Air go?". Enda will be presenting papers entitled: "Ten years of air quality management in the UK: A model for the South African National Framework on air quality" and "The potential impact from increased use of wood-fuelled biomass on local air quality in London: Lessons to exchange with mega-cities in developing countries". Photos have been promised...as promised.

AQMRC in the UWE news

Some of our work has recently been reported in the UWE bulletin. Click here to see AQMRC and other news from the University of the West of England.

Tim invited to join the International Advisory Committee for the IUAPPA Regional Conference 2008

This years conference will be held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Clean Air of South Africa. The IUAPPA Regional Conference will focus on the development of Air Quality Management systems at local, national and regional scales. Special sessions will include comparative experience of national air quality management systems; integrating air pollution and climate change abatement strategies; and transport and air quality in emerging mega-cities.

South African visitors take home air quality messages from UK study tour

The South African delegation were in the UK during the week beginning the 31st March - 4th April during which time they visited the University of the West of England, Bristol, AEA Energy & Environment at Harwell, the Environment Agency in Reading, Defra offices in London, the Greater London Authority and the two day Environmental Protection UK Spring Workshop in Northampton. Our visiting delegation thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the UK and returned to South Africa with an abundance of ideas and messages for their national and local governments, academics, NGO's and air quality practitioners. AQMRC and our South African visitors would like to thank the various individuals and organisations who opened their doors to our visitors and gave their time so generously to make it a most engaging and informative tour.

South African delegation visit UWE on the first leg of their European Study Tour (31st March - 4th April 2008)

In 2007, AQMRC in partnership with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) successfully completed the National Air Quality Framework on behalf of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism in South Africa. As part of this prestigious project, AQMRC were tasked with organising a knowledge exchange study tour to the UK for a South African delegation to learn more about the UK air quality management systems, science and issues. The South African delegation is lead Prof Roseanne Diab (University of KwaZulu-Natal) accompanied by her husband Richard, Jean-Pierre Mfuamba (National Framework Intern), Yegeshni Naiker (National Framework Intern), Caradee Wright (CSIR Postdoc) and Tirusha Thambiran (University of KwaZulu-Natal PhD student). This knowledge exchange study tour will include visits to UWE, AEAT, the Environment Agency, Defra, the GLA and finally two days at the Environmental Protection UK Annual Spring Workshop. Dr Enda Hayes, AQMRC organised the study tour and will accompany the delegation while they are in the UK. AQMRC are delighted to be involved in such a high profile project and look forward to welcoming our South African colleagues for an engaging and informative visit.