City of Cape Town held a preview launch of its newly established ‘Learning and Development Centre’, considering the Potsdam Sustainability Campus, that aims to address multiple challenges such as achieving carbon neutrality goals for 2030-50 for job creation and food production.
Reportedly, the site was originally a part of the Potsdam Outspan that will support wider programmes to address the rehabilitaion of the Diep River System and empower the communities to understand and mitigate against climate change.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment – Alderman Eddie Andrews said that the Potsdam Sustainability Campus is a dynamic, living campus, which is a place where ideas can be tested, mistakes can be made, and innovative solutions can emerge well.
The campus embodies the commitment of Cape Town to the 2030-50 Carbon Neutrality Goals and aligns with the broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It provides a rare opportunity for transversal collaboration, that brings together the multiple city directorates, the private sector, educational institutions and partners like ICLEI Africa.
Considering this Andrews mentioned that the campus soft launch was also attended by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSRI) – Linda Godfrey. Alinah Mthembu from the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), who are the sponsors of the pilot 1ha circular economy farm also attended the launch.
Paul Currie from ICLEI Africa (the implementation partner), Garth Malan from Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST as research and knowledge partners), Ryan O’Donovan from Tetris (who highlight the opportunity of the reuse or repurposing of materials), as well as the senior staff City Directorates, witnessed the campus soft launch.
However, the launch was concluded with a short tour and an interactive circular economy game that gave a glimpse of the learning element of the site.
Alderman Andrews said that the campus serves as a living experiment. It is more than just a series of projects, it is an integrated approach that combines community development and education in a way that ensures solutions that are scalable, adaptable and long-lasting.
Notably, the Potsdam Sustainability Campus timeline is packaged into 10-years of focused periods, with the current period of 2020-29, that is considered in the planning to initial implementation phase. It includes more planning, with garnering of wide-spread buy-in and site initiation via early initial implementation of key catalytic.
Pilot projects such as the relocation of the My Clean Green Home from Green Point Park alongside a 1ha pilot circular farm. The site is located on the corner of Blaauwberg and Potsdam Roads in Table View.