The Innovation Hub in collaboration with the World Bank’s InfoDev is hosting the Climate Innovation Centre South Africa Green Technologies and Innovations for Inclusive Growth Conference on 25 and 26 March 2015 in Tshwane, Gauteng Province, South Africa. The objective of the conference is to promote innovative technologies and business models that address local climate challenges whilst creating jobs and improving the economic growth in Africa. 

The Climate Innovation Centre South Africa (CIC South Africa) is a strategic green economy initiative of The Innovation Hub Management Company founded through collaboration between the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED), The Innovation Hub and infoDev. It is the newest member of the World Bank/infoDev’s global network of Climate Innovation Centers, which includes hubs in Morocco, Vietnam, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana and the Caribbean. The center will scale up its operations by adding under the same umbrella four of the most important business incubators in the country - Invo Tech, The East London IDZ Science and Technology Park, SEREBI, and The Nelson Mandela Bay Science and Technology Centre. Furthermore, with a US$1.5 million contribution from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), the center will link its activities to the DBSA’s Green Fund, a key initiative in the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

The Innovation Hub, Africa’s leading accredited science and technology park, is a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), which is an agency of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development. The focus of The Innovation Hub is on skills development, enterprise development, fostering innovation and providing enabling spaces for knowledge workers. The Climate Innovation Centre is positioned within The Innovation Hub as a specialised incubator for entrepreneurs and SMEs in the green economy, with particular emphasis on energy, water and environment. 

“The global transition to low-carbon growth holds tremendous economic opportunities for South Africa. Owing to its strong financial and technological infrastructure, the country is on the right track to become a clean-tech hub for the continent,” said Klaus Tilmes, Director of the Global Practice on Trade & Competitiveness of the World Bank Group. “To unlock this potential, the South Africa Climate Innovation Center will leverage the expertise and market linkages provided by the World Bank/infoDev's network of Climate Innovation Centers.” 

The global transition to low-carbon growth holds tremendous economic opportunities for South Africa. South Africa has strong technical and industrial capabilities, indigenous renewable resources, and the potential to act as a green economy hub for the continent. These factors make it possible for South Africa to take a profitable leadership role in the global clean technology revolution through the domestic development and deployment of innovative technologies and business models addressing climate change.

With the alarming youth unemployment rate in the nation, industry leaders and specialized professionals will make up part of the panel discussions, facilitated workshops and networking sessions that will seek to find solutions to alleviate challenges using localized innovative solutions.  

“Gauteng Province is an economic hub with serious energy and water demands as well as growing need to reduce carbon emissions.  The increase in urbanisation coupled with high youth unemployment necessitates that we urgently explore the development of alternative solutions to the ever-increasing demands for housing, food, energy, water and sanitation, whilst consciously ensuring minimal environmental impact and efficient utilisation of resources. The Green Technologies and Innovations for Inclusive Growth Conference incorporating the launch of the Climate Innovation Centre is an ideal platform to identify   synergies amongst the various Climate Innovation Centres to ensure social, economic and environmental sustainability. Our partnership with infoDev assists in the efforts to develop an inclusive green economy that addresses challenges of food security, climate changes and unemployment.  - Mr McLean Sibanda, CEO of The Innovation Hub