Durban Research Action Partnership (DRAP)

Smiso Bhengu: Climate Protection Scientist

• Largest port and city on the east coast of Africa

– planned and managed by eThekwini

Municipality

• Municipal extent: 2 556 km2

• Population: 3.9 million (Highest % of people living

in poverty amongst major metros). 22%

unemployment

• High prevalence of HIV/Aids

• Housing backlog: 387 000 units

• Global biodiversity hotspot

Can we solve climate change without focusing

on social issues?

The Durban Research Action Partnership

• Partnership between Municipality and local university – initiated in 2011

• DRAP – bringing scientific research into local government

• The partnership is implemented through different research programmes

Global Environment Change

Research Programme – Phase 1

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Global Environment Change

Research Programme – Phase 2

Global Environment

Change Research

Programme Phase 3

Global Environment Research – Phase 1&2

• Understanding and assessing the benefits linked to biodiversity conservation

• Ecological impacts of climate change

• Community based adaptation

• Role of DMOSS in conserving important biodiversity areas

DRAP achievements

Race

Honours MSc. PhD Post Doc TOTALS

Africans

7 16 3 1 27

Indians

2 7 2 0 11

Whites

4 3 3 1 11

DRAP benefits to the city• Palmiet Catchment Rehabilitation Project

- strengthening the relationship with communities

- Improving water quality and building community resilience towards climate change

- Climate smart informal settlements

• Sustainable & Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS) research programme

– Inter-disciplinary research evidence to define future food system policies that deliver nutritious & healthy food in a

sustainable manner

• UMngeni Ecological Infrastructure Partnership

– safeguard, rehabilitate and manage the ecological infrastructure within the uMngeni catchment.

– Improving water security and quality within eThekwini Municipal area

Science with local communities (Palmiet

project)

Co-funding benefitsResearch Programme eThekwini Municipality Funding Additional co-funding through UKZN

KwaZulu Natal Sandstone Sourveld Research Programme (GEC Phase One)

R1.5 Million R7 Million (2018 & 2019) from NRF

for Community of Practice: Using Biodiversity as a form of Social Learning.

R 15 Million through Sustainable

Healthy and Food Systems (SHEFS, 2018 -2021)

Additional >R2.2 Million funding

from external sources which include National Research Foundation, Internal Barcode of Life – International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Canada, African Centre for DNA Barcoding, Eskom, Mazda Wildlife Trust, Victoria Club, Zimbali Coastal Estate, Cotswold Downs, Birdlife KZN Midlands, South African Falconry Association and anonymous private donors

Global Environment Change Research Programme (GEC Phase Two)

R3 Million over three years: 2015, 2016 and 2017

Global Environment Change Research Programme (GEC Phase Three)

R3 Million (over three years)

Global Environment Change 3rd Phase

• The focus of this research phase is on Rivers: from source

to sea

• EThekwini Municipality will directly fund 4 PhD and 7 MSc

students, almost all from previously disadvantaged

backgrounds

• UKZN have proposed convening four workshops over the next

financial year to assist municipality with answering serious and

urgent questions in relation to implementation challenges in

eThekwini Municipality

Conclusion• The GEC 3rd phase would assist in the implementation of the DCCS.

• Our science research should assist in service delivery or in

implementation of projects.

- Piloting of Educational Partnership for Innovative in Communities

- Palmiet Catchment Rehabilitation Project

- Sustainable Healthy Environment Food System (SHEFS)

- uMngeni Ecological Infrastructure Partnership (UEIP)

- Community Reforestation project

THANK YOU