Investigating the potential for Jacaranda street trees to mitigate climate change in Tshwane, South Africa
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Authors
Mangena, Kensani Charlene
Issue Date
2021-02
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Climate change mitigation , Urban forestry , Carbon sequestration
Alternative Title
Abstract
Climate Change poses a great risk to our future as species on Earth. The impacts
thereof will have far reaching consequences on every aspect of our daily lives and
ultimately on our ability to survive and thrive as humans. It is therefore important,
particularly in urban areas where most of the human population live, for the
investment of resources and expertise into mitigating these impacts and ensuring the
resilience of urban areas. The urban forest provides climate change mitigation
benefits for urban areas through carbon sequestration. In order to encourage
investment and protection of the urban forest, this benefit must be quantified and
afforded a monetary value. This study calculated the amount of carbon dioxide
sequestrated by the Jacaranda mimosifolia street tree in the City of Tshwane and
afforded this amount a monetary value in both South African Rands and American
Dollars through the South African Carbon Tax Bill. This study followed the baseline
study by Stoffberg (2006) looking at how much carbon dioxide had been sequestrated
by the Jacaranda trees over the past 15 years post the baseline study and what
monetary value do the trees now have through legislation that was not available
during the baseline study. The study also observed the variables that may have
affected the amount of carbon dioxide sequestrated by the trees. Although some
areas saw a drop in the Total Carbon Dioxide Equivalent sequestrated since 2004,
the total amount for the whole city remained stable. Through the Carbon Tax Bill, the
value of these trees has increased significantly encouraging the municipality to invest
in the maintenance and protection of the Jacaranda street trees in the City of
Tshwane in order to preserve their carbon sequestration benefits
Description
Bibliography: leaves 135-145