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Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]

 BULAWAYO Mayor, Councillor David Coltart, says he used his participation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference – (COP28) in Dubai to unlock funding for a ‘catch-them-young programme’ to educate children in primary schools on environmental consciousness.

Cllr Coltart said the COP28 platform also opened in his mind the need for the city to invest in recycling as a measure of tackling environmental menace. 

Global leaders are converging in Dubai, United Arab Emirates to deliberate on climate solutions from November 30 to December 12.

Cllr Coltart said this on Sunday as he gave an update of his engagement during COP28, highlighting that he sought funding to educate school children in Bulawayo about climate change.

“By way of an update to the residents of @CityofBulawayo, aside from a brief meeting with Michael Broomberg, I had a variety of exceptionally useful meetings and interactions,” he said.

“Mainly, I have applied for funding from Broomberg Philanthropy for a project to educate primary school children on the need to keep our city clean and to involve them in the cleanup and keeping our city clean,” posted Cllr Coltart on X.

He said Broomberg Philanthropy supports recycling projects and will be making proposals for the city to embark on eco-friendly recycling projects.

Cllr Coltart said he had interactions with mayors from Lusaka in Zambia, Copenhagen in Denmark, Cincinnati in Ohio, America and Cologne in Germany on areas of cooperation with Bulawayo. He said he will be proposing some of the ideas to the council. 

“But most importantly I have come back with new ideas to tackle environmental concerns in Bulawayo – these include involving young people in our clean up, the planting of indigenous trees across our cities (particularly in high-density suburbs), and promoting a new cycling culture in our great city,” he said.

“These ideas will shortly be put to our Council for debate and, hopefully, adoption. Together we can make Bulawayo the best & greenest city in #Africa.”

-@nqotshili