Municipalities ‘must plan’ for realities of global warming

Government experts presented research reports on climate change and global warming to the provincial standing committee on development recently. ‘Sea levels will rise and affect the setback line of buildings and developments along the coast,’ said Dipolelo Elford, chief director at the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. As temperatures rose, the frequency of floods would increase. Municipalities needed to ensure there was no further development on floodplains and disaster management authorities should prepare for ‘what if’ scenarios, Elford said. The department\'s deputy director for climate change and biodiversity management, Dennis Laidler, said: ‘It\'s not just flood lines - it\'s energy consumption and all sorts of things. Also, it is not what you do when you have a disaster. A lot is about planning to (avert) a disaster’. Full Cape Times report