The built environment professionals, civil society, and local communities will be converging at Mandeni as a pivotal step towards localising the climate change conversation.

To effectively mitigate the impacts of climate change and build societies resilient to it, the conversation needs to be localised and made inclusive, engaging everyone. This is happening at the same time global leaders gather at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The CBE intentionally selected Sundumbili as a venue, which happens to be under the ILembe District Municipality, strategically aligning with the recently enacted Climate Change Act by our President Ramaphosa.

The Act calls for urgency in addressing climate change repercussions. It is now imperative for all our governmental policies to follow the guiding principles of the Climate Change Act and contribute towards its overarching objectives swiftly and promptly.

The CBE is leading this conversation, guided by built environment experts and academics tapping into indigenous knowledge to rethink the urban agenda. This approach will assist the sector in designing sustainable infrastructure, fostering towns, villages, and cities with a just transition as their backbone to ensure inclusivity for all.

We must revolutionise our urban landscapes as dynamic ecosystems that conserve water, mitigate heat, and facilitate sustainable mobility. An interplay of green infrastructure, compact urban layouts, and energy-efficient buildings should be the defining features of our urban planning efforts. Today, under the umbrella of this vision, our theme echoes: “Co-creation of spaces and places that respond to just transition.”

Bridging the divide between policy and practice will require the unified efforts of all stakeholders. It is time to champion a culture of collaboration that exceeds the confines of geography, sectors, and ideologies.