City hosts Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Week: 17-21 August 2009

There is no doubt that temperatures are rising and climates are changing - causing rising sea levels and flooding, changing rainfall patterns(more floods in places while some areas will become dry and desert-like) and a decline in the availability of fresh water. It will affect our living conditions (extreme storms and heat), our food supplies (serious shortages of food in Africa) and our health (rising temperatures, more pests, more illness).

It may seem daunting, but knowledge allows us to prepare ourselves. The best thing is that we know what to do about the problem - we just have to change our knowledge into actions!

The aim of the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Week is to make learners from primary and high schools across Cape Town aware of the following:

• The effects of Climate Change on our biodiversity, for example birds, honey bees, marine mammals and fynbos
• Alternative energy sources
• The story of electricity and energy
• Adaptation and mitigation measures that we can take
• Climate Change is increasing disasters, droughts, extreme storms and desertification
• What we can do to make a difference!

Learners will learn about all these issues through plays, presentations, music, visiting interesting places like Kirstenbosch, Koeberg, Table Mountain and the Fossil Park on the West Coast.

The week forms part of the City's Youth Environmental School (YES) Programme and is hosted in partnership with Jungle Theatre Company, Cape Heart Community and Education Theatre Company, Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve, Centre for Conservation Education, Century City Ratepayers Association (Intaka Island), Honey Bee Foundation, SANCCOB, Metrorail's Edutrain, Nature Harmony, SANBI and Synergetics.

Issued by: Communication Department, City of Cape Town