This document is the Draft White Paper: Western Cape Sustainable Energy for final review by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) of the Western Cape and its partners.

The aim is to establish a consistent, coherent, integrated and shared policy framework for the Provincial overnment of the Western Cape (PGWC) to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate policies.

It is clear that climate change will affect the Western Cape Province. Climate Change is happening now and is one of the biggest challenges facing the international community. Even with the achievement of significant global greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, there will still be changes to the global climate and to our climate here in the Western Cape. These changes will affect everyone in our community - government, industry, community groups and individuals - and all sections of the community have a part to play in responding to
climate change.

This document, which presents the Sustainable Energy Strategy and Programme of Action, is structured around the mechanisms and mandates that allow for the Western Cape Provincial Government to influence the manner in which energy is supplied and used in the Western Cape.

It is my pleasure to introduce the Sustainable Development
Implementation Plan (SDIP) for the Western Cape. This document
represents the culmination of a two-year process
of careful planning and development in collaboration with
government and its social partners.

The proposed Renewable Energy Plan of Action is an integral part of the Sustainable Energy Strategy (SES) developed for the Western Cape Provincial Government. The plan feeds into the SES and Programme of Action and has helped to clarify many of the outstanding questions posed in the SES, most notably around the availability of the resources needed in order to realise the targets and actions proposed in the SES.