Mr. Is’haaq Akoon has directed his career to public service in Local Government. He has been a dedicated employee of the City of Ekurhuleni for the last 13 years, starting as a junior official in 2008. He currently holds the office of Senior Manager Climate Change, and has managed to develop a specialised team of individuals working with him to promote bold climate action within the department and across the city. He currently heads the City of Ekurhuleni - Resilience Forum, where all projects and programmes are discussed to ensure that the impacts and effects of climate change are adhered to.
In 2009, he managed to develop the first GHG inventory for the City of Ekurhuleni. In 2011 he ensured that the city was a key player at COP 17, where the City launched a green building precinct and the 1st Local Government owned and operated solar plant in Africa. He has continually pushed the climate change agenda of the city and was privileged to be the primary author the Climate Change Response Strategy for the City and the +Ekurhuleni 2030 City Targets, in 2017. The direction and implementation of key mitigation and adaptation projects and programmes within the city has resulted in the City being inducted in the C40 Cities Network.
Mr. Akoon has recently developed the Green City Climate Action Plan (GCAP) 2021, with the assistance of the IFC. In the upcoming year, he will be directing a Heat-Island mapping study and the development a resilience-rating tool for capital projects, funded by the World Bank. He is very passionate about the environment, with specific prioritisation on wetland rehabilitation and waste management. He directs the City’s project to move from the traditional landfilling practices to an Alternative Waste Treatment Model underpinned by materials recovery and waste to energy.
