Latest news with #GIZ
News24
14-07-2025
- Business
- News24
Young energy experts help power South Africa's green future
Mahlatsi Moleya Seventy-five students, over 60% of them women, have graduated as certified Energy Performance Certificate Practitioners in Mpumalanga. The training is part of South Africa's Just Energy Transition, supported by the UNDP, DHET, EWSETA, and GIZ. With youth unemployment at 45.5% (Stats SA), this programme offers practical skills and a real chance to work in the green economy. Seventy-five students in Mpumalanga have completed the Energy Performance Certificate Practitioners Programme, equipping them with skills to improve energy efficiency in buildings. More than 60% of the graduates are women, challenging outdated ideas about who belongs in technical fields. For 26-year-old Thandeka Mahlangu, this achievement 'was a turning point'. She said: Before this, I had no clear path. Now I can contribute to something bigger, making our buildings smarter and our communities stronger. Mahlatsi Moleya The programme forms part of the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Just Energy Transition efforts, supported by the department of higher education and training, the Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority, as well as Germany's main agency for international development cooperation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit. The programme, which is six months long, has ensured that graduates are now qualified to audit and improve building energy use – a crucial skill as buildings account for nearly 30% of the country's electricity consumption, according to the department of mineral resources and energy. 'This is not just a course; it is a pathway,' said UNDP's Phumla Hlathi. Young people are not only part of the solution, but they are also leading it. Phumla Hlathi With youth unemployment at 45.5%, according to Stats SA, this initiative offers young people a real chance to participate in the green economy and reshape South Africa's energy future. Show Comments ()
Business Wire
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Taicang: A Model for China-Europe ESG Cooperation
STUTTGART, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Located in the Yangtze River Delta, Taicang City in Jiangsu Province is known as the 'Hometown of German Enterprises in China.' At the recent 2 nd Sino-European Corporate ESG Best Practice Conference, Taicang received the prestigious 'Zero-Carbon City' Best Practice Award, further solidifying its reputation as a benchmark for green urban transformation. By integrating ESG indicators into its urban development strategy, Taicang has demonstrated visionary leadership and has become a model for sustainable city and industrial development. Share According to the jury, 'By integrating ESG indicators into its urban development strategy, Taicang has demonstrated visionary leadership and has become a model for sustainable city and industrial development.' In response to the global challenges of climate change and sustainable growth, Taicang has proactively aligned with China's 'dual carbon' strategy. It has positioned itself as a modern garden city driven by green development, integrating ESG principles into industrial park development, industrial clusters, and social governance. With over 550 German enterprises, Taicang has established a unique model of sustainable growth through a triad of government leadership, enterprise innovation, and international cooperation. Capitalizing on its close ties with Germany, Taicang partnered with GIZ (German Agency for International Cooperation) to establish the Sino-German Green and Low-Carbon Cooperation Park and pilot an energy efficiency network for low-carbon industrial zones. The city has also introduced innovations such as a green trading hall and a carbon footprint management platform, forming a closed-loop green energy ecosystem. Taicang is transforming from traditional manufacturing to green manufacturing. Schaeffler's Taicang plant has earned an 'A' rating from CDP for three consecutive years. Nike's China Logistics Center operates on 100% renewable energy, and Camfil's rooftop solar panels generate 1.4 million kWh annually, covering 30% of its energy needs. These efforts have significantly improved city-wide carbon efficiency. Urban planning efforts include the 'Green City Expansion Plan,' featuring a 'four vertical and four horizontal' network of green and water corridors. Taicang, representing China at the Sino-German Energy Efficiency Working Group, has integrated ESG metrics into urban strategy and introduced an innovative 'Corporate Environmental Manager' system. Ranked the third among China's 2024 Green Development Top 100 Cities, Taicang exemplifies how county-level cities can achieve green transformation through systematic planning, industrial upgrading, and deep international collaboration—serving as a replicable model for China-Europe ESG cooperation.
The Hindu
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Mayor calls for gender participation in governance and development
Mayor M. Anilkumar has called for gender participation in governance and promised to enforce such models in the governance and development of the city. He was inaugurating a two-day seminar organised by the Kochi Corporation in association with Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), a German development agency, and the National Institute of Urban Affairs. The seminar titled 'Empowering Cities towards Gender Responsive Approaches' is aimed at ensuring the participation of women, children, and transgender people in governance and development. Subject experts presented papers on gender participation in governance and development models implemented across the world. The meeting deliberated on how such models could be used for the sustainable development of cities. Standing committee chairpersons C.D. Valsalakumari, Seena Gokul, and Malini Kurup, councillors, and representatives of GIZ, National Institute of Urban Affairs, C-Hed, and Kudumbashree attended.
Jordan News
06-07-2025
- Business
- Jordan News
Jordan Valley Authority Implements Precautionary Measures to Protect Al-Wuhaydi Dam in Ma'an - Jordan News
The Jordan Valley Authority has carried out a set of precautionary measures to protect Al-Wuhaydi Dam located in Dabbat Al-Karam, in the Ma'an Governorate, as part of its strategic plans to safeguard and develop water resources and reduce water loss. اضافة اعلان These activities were implemented with the support of the German government, through the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ), under the project titled "Protection of Water Dams in Jordan through Labour-Intensive Activities – Cash for Work", in partnership with World Vision. The project included: Construction of gabion and concrete retaining walls Installation of concrete stilling basins Maintenance work on the dam structure Improvements to the downstream flow channel These interventions aim to increase the dam's capacity to handle larger volumes of floodwater and enhance its resilience against flooding. Al-Wuhaydi Dam, established in 2011 with a storage capacity of 750,000 cubic meters, plays a vital role in collecting rainwater and flood runoff in the region. These protective measures are expected to safeguard local communities and their properties, while also promoting environmental stability in the area.
Zawya
04-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Carbon Markets Africa Summit reveals packed programme featuring continent's entire carbon markets value chain
The upcoming Carbon Markets Africa Summit (CMAS) programme features the continent's entire carbon markets value chain in what is a compelling combination of successful early carbon market movers, climate-finance-ready projects, regulatory bodies as well as global institutional development organisations and investors. The event is taking place in Johannesburg from 22 to 23 October, with pre-conference sessions on 21 October. CMAS is dedicated to unlocking Africa's carbon market potential, incorporating integrity, investment and impact. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) are official supporters of the event. Shifting global landscape Day 1's opening session will focus on the continent's pivotal opportunity to define its own carbon trajectory, attract meaningful investment and align carbon market growth with the priorities of climate resilience, equity and sustainable development. Speakers already confirmed include: - Iain Banner, Chairman, South Africa - Fenella Aouane, Global Green Growth Institute, Luxembourg - Maxwell Gomera, UNDP - Javier Manzanares, Allen Manza, Panama - Caroline Tixier, EU Delegation to South Africa - Angela Churie Kallhauge, Impact, Environmental Defence Fund, USA Aligning strategy with global agendas The session on the "Road to COP30: Aligning Africa's Carbon Strategy with Global Agendas" will look compare Africa's carbon strategy with global frameworks such as Article 6. High-level representatives from the GMEX Group, AfDBm Verra and ACMI will be part of this panel discussion. Carbon market frameworks As African countries move from climate ambition to implementation, regulatory clarity is becoming the cornerstone of carbon market development. A session titled 'Turning Policy into Action,' will explore how national frameworks are evolving post-COP29, what integration of Article 6 looks like on the ground and how public-private collaboration can drive effective execution. Strong representation from across the continent and value chain bodes for an enlightening discussion, including the UNDP, Government of Nigeria, the South African Department of Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment, Zambia's Ministry of Green Economy and Environment and Uganda Climate Change Department. The challenges with regards to integrity that carbon markets have faced will be tackled head-on during CMAS. Promethium's Principal Climate Change Advisor Olivia Tuchten will lead the panel discussion around standards, verification and market oversight with experts from Verra, Gold Standard and Anthesis. Financing Africa's carbon pipeline Day 2 of the packed CMAS programme features investor roundtables in a more intimate setting, aimed at 'Connecting Climate Capital with Scalable Carbon Solutions,' during which a select group of carbon market investors and financiers can present their funds, strategies and investment opportunities to both potential capital partners and carbon project developers. Keynote on investment Day 2's keynote session on 'Financing Africa's Carbon Pipeline: Derisking, Scaling and Innovating" will address both sides of the investment equation with participants from Shell Nature Based Solutions, Standard Bank, MIGA, AfDB and South Pole. Jonathan First, Senior Advisor at Climate Policy Initiative will also unpack the question of how to mobilise private capital for Africa's carbon markets with several financiers from TransEnergy Global, FSD Africa, the JSE and JP Morgan. Pre-conference day The CARBON 101 masterclass will provide investors, policymakers and developers with the necessary insights into the burgeoning business of carbon markets. The expert facilitators in this relatively new field will cover everything from international frameworks, African policy landscapes, credit integrity and investment fundamentals. 'Trust plays a key role' As part of CMAS 2025's mission to catalyse high-integrity, African-led carbon markets, Dominic Wilhelm, Executive Director of the Global Trust Project, will also lead a high-impact dialogue working session. 'While the current value of carbon markets as of 2023 is about $950 billion, within the next 10 years, it's going to be worth $16 trillion,' says Wilhelm. 'However, the full value chain of carbon markets is very fragmented, and it's not transparent. Therefore, the full value chain needs to rapidly come together in a high-level dialogue, in which trust plays a key role to solve some of these challenges.' VUKA Group Carbon Markets Africa Summit is organised by VUKA Group, which has more than 20 years' experience in serving the business community across Africa. Event dates and location: Dates: 21 October: Pre-summit day 22–23 October: Summit Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group. Additional Information: Download the Carbon Markets Africa Summit Programme Brochure here: Contact details for Carbon Markets Africa Summit: Tailor-made partnerships: Natalie Kruger Cell: +66 (0) 65 614 8605 Email: Project Lead: Emmanuelle Nicholls Cell: +27 83 447 8410 Email: Event website:
