In March this year, organisations, individuals, schools and youth group climate change leaders and heroes were generously applauded and rewarded at the second annual Climate Change Leadership Awards (CCLA). The CCLA, a carbon neutral event itself, is supported by the South African Post Office, Post Bank and Pick n Pay.

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Three times more inspiring entries were received this year from organisations that care about South Africa’s sustainable, lower carbon future. For the second year running, the awards cermony is being rendered carbon neutral through the planting of trees. This year 270 Trees for Homes were planted in Naledi, Soweto, to offset the emmissions generated from the event.

Naledi was established in 1996 to accommodate the Sotho speaking people of Soweto and this settlement has grown to 73 625 houses, that include the RDP houses built since 1996. These new houses are next to the train station and cater for low income people and pensioners.  There are no trees, limited recreational space and the area is dusty. These trees will help to settle the dust and improve the health of the environment and the residents.

The ward 20 Councillor, Mr Basimane Ramadiro, said, “My wish is to see this ward transformed into a green area that will instill civic pride in the residents. I am confident that the residents will look after these trees, which will improve their quality of life in so many ways.”

Trees for Homes provides more than trees to residents in low cost housing settlements. It provides environmental and climate change awareness and education for residents through the training of Community Educators who are paid a stipend to educate their neighbours. Thus it is an enterprise development, climate change response, corporate social investment and black economic empowerment initiative as well

All Trees for Homes, including these 270 CCLA offset trees, contribute to the United Nations Development Programme Billion Tree Campaign. The planting of these trees in Naledi, is an indication of how many can work together to address climate change

Dr Kumi Naidoo, the Executive Director of Greenpeace International and Board Director of FTFA,  was the guest speaker at the Awards ceremony. He said: “It is an honour to be a part of the Climate Change Leadership Awards which recognises outstanding unsung heroes. This event is a clear sign that unless we understand that we must come together in communities, in rich and poor countries, and cut across the range of divides that keep us apart, unless we recognise that we are all in this together, unless we get up and act today, we will not be able to address the environmental challenges that we face, and we certainly will not be able to address the devastating problem of climate change that is happening now.”

Avis provided ground transport, kulula.com sponsored winners and adjudicators air travel. Talk Radio 702 and Cape Talk 567 are the CCLA media partner and the CCLA is a LEAD SA initiative.