On 25 Feb, Sefora Masia, WOCAN South Africa Coordinator, and Dr. Sikhalazo Dube, WOCAN Core Associatepresented WOCAN and W+ Standard to theChief Director Responsible for the Green Fund in the Department of Environmental affairs, Ms Jenitha Badul.The Green Fund is a unique, newly established national fund that seeks to support green initiatives to assist South Africa’s transition to a low carbon, resource efficient and climate resilient development path delivering high impact economic, environmental and social benefits.
Ms Badul explained about the Green Fund and that WOCAN could apply, but that for this current financial year ending in April 2014 and the next financial year ending in April 2014, the fund was already fully allocated. She explained that the first round of the Fund was for government projects on renewable energy; green cities, low carbon and waste management. The Green Fund’s criteria for selecting projects for funding are that projects should:
• Be Replicable
• Show technology development
• Promote Innovation
• Have potential for up- scaling