Disaster Management to award Winners of the Climate Change Poster Competition

The City of Cape Town's Disaster Management Centre will host the Prize Giving for its Climate Change and Energy Programme Poster Competition on Thursday 29 October 2009 at the Athlone Civic Centre from 11:00 to 13:30.

All media are welcome to attend.

The prize giving is the culmination of a two month programme. During this time Disaster Management staff visited 17 primary schools across Cape Town to raise awareness about climate change and energy among Grade 7 Learners.

There is no doubt that temperatures are rising and climates are changing, causing rising sea levels and flooding, changing rainfall patterns(more floods in places while some areas will become dry and desert-like) and a decline in the availability of fresh water. It will affect our living conditions (extreme storms and heat), our food supplies (serious shortages of food in Africa) and our health (rising temperatures, more pests, and more illness).

The aim of the Disaster Risk Management Centre's Climate Change and Energy Programme was to make learners from primary schools across Cape Town aware of the following:

• The effects of Climate Change on our biodiversity, for example birds, honey bees, marine mammals and fynbos
• Alternative energy sources
• The story of electricity and energy
• Adaptation and mitigation measures that can be put in place
• Climate Change is increasing disasters, droughts, extreme storms and desertification
• What we can do to make a difference

At the end of the programme the learners of the 17 schools had to submit a poster showing their understanding of Climate Change. The posters have been judged and prizes sponsored by the Robben Island Museum, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Co. Ltd and the Two Oceans Aquarium, will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

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Issued by:
Communication Department
City of Cape Town