Celebrating African cities leading on climate transparency
Published: 13 Mar 2026
Success Stories
African cities are not only on the frontlines of the climate crisis, they are also actively responding, innovating, and setting the pace for locally led climate action. Despite facing escalating risks, cities across the continent are demonstrating that data-driven planning and local action can deliver powerful, people-centred climate solutions.
We are proud to celebrate the four CoM SSA signatories that achieved CDP A-List scores in 2025 through reporting to the CDP-ICLEI Track. Being named to CDP’s A-List is one of the highest global recognitions for climate transparency and action. It reflects rigorous reporting and performance across emissions inventories, climate action plans, science-aligned targets, and climate risk and vulnerability assessments. For cities in sub-Saharan Africa, achieving this recognition demonstrates global leadership, strengthens credibility with partners and investors, and signals a strong commitment to transparent and accountable climate action.
See the four CoM SSA signatories and some of their most recent sustainability activities below:
City of Johannesburg, South Africa (A-List 2024 & 2025)
Johannesburg is tackling water shortages by targeting increased water system resilience. The city aims to increase water derived from alternative sources by 25%, reduce water losses in conveyance systems by 10%, and lower average household and per capita water use to 120 litres/person/day.
City of Cape Town, South Africa (A-List 2024 & 2025)
Cape Town is stepping up as a continental leader in heat risk governance. The city is finalising a comprehensive Heatwave and High-Heat Day Action Plan, anchored in public education, institutional coordination, and data-informed policymaking. Through the Summer Readiness Programme, the city is educating residents, especially children, the elderly, and low-income households, about heat risk through community engagement activities such as puppet shows, library programs, and outreach to old-age homes. Cape Town is also establishing a Heatwave Response Coordinating Committee and expanding early warning systems in partnership with the South African Weather Service. To build internal capacity, the city aims to train 1000 staff over the next five years in climate leadership and extreme heat response. The action plan integrates historical climate data, vulnerability assessments, and targeted interventions for high-risk sectors such as healthcare, energy, and emergency services.
eThekwini Municipality (Durban), South Africa (A-list 2025)
The Municipality is protecting infrastructure in high-risk climate areas through added safeguards or relocation. Through the continued coordination and implementation of the Transformative River Management Programme (TRMP), the Municipality is also ensuring waterways function effectively during extreme rainfall events.
City of Dire Dawa, Ethiopia (A-list 2025)
Dire Dawa recently validated its Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan through reporting to the CDP-ICLEI Track and scored an A+. The SEACAP, developed with support from CoM SSA, included ambitious targets, for example: expanding energy-efficiency programs in buildings (cool roofs, LED lighting, insulation) to cut per-household demand by 15 % by 2030, retrofitingt 75 % of critical utilities (water, sanitation, roads, bridges) to meet resilience standards by 2040 and to align Dire Dawa’s emissions trajectory with a 1.5°C pathway, the City aims to achieve a 54 %–83 % reduction by 2050.
These cities’ achievements demonstrate the power of transparent, data-driven reporting through the CDP-ICLEI Track and highlight the growing role of African cities in driving ambitious, accountable climate action.
Last year, CoM SSA, together with CDP and ICLEI Africa, released a report, Tracking Transformation: How African cities are driving global climate action through local data. Read the report for more information.
The 2026 CDP-ICLEI Track Questionnaire for Reporting will be released for viewing on the 27th of April 2026. The CDP-ICLEI Track Reporting for 2026 opens from 15 June 2026.
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