In an unprecedented move, the Cape Town Partnership will launch its Sustainable Cape Town programme during this year’s Green Week from 19 to 23 October.

“The programme will give further effect to the Partnership’s existing commitment to sustainable development, and seeks to set the Central City on a more sustainable development path,” says Bulelwa Ngewana, deputy chief executive of the Cape Town Partnership.

According to newly appointed programme coordinator Alexis Scholtz, using the Partnership’s key capabilities and core businesses as communicator and facilitator, the Sustainable Cape Town programme seeks to assist in demonstrating leadership as a sustainable business district.

“The programme will honour this role, and aim to complement rather than compete with activities of other key players, notably the Province, City and civil society,” Alexis says.

To assist private, public and civil sectors in making a smooth transition to more sustainable practices, Sustainable Cape Town will set up a Sustainability Desk which will become the go-to for assisting in facilitating partnerships, providing resources, case studies and information to assist with sustainable programmes.

According to Alexis, the programme will focus on five key sustainable development issues in the Central City – energy, water, waste, densification and transport.

“Core focuses will include enhancing the aims of the City’s 2010 Green Goal campaign, reinforcing communications with the public and assisting with the transition to the new IRT system and non-motorised transport routes. The programme will champion the already growing transformation to more sustainable buildings and “green” hospitality. In addition to this, it will also embark on the initiation of the long-term project Reclaim Camissa which will reintroduce the historic path of the river Camissa into the city.”

Ultimately Sustainable Cape Town will connect inner city stakeholders to work together to make Cape Town a world leader in the sustainable city movement.