It's now over 100 days since South Africa declared a state of national disaster and thereafter imposed countrywide lockdown to fight COVID-19 disease. The first cases of COVID-19 were identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. When international news broke in early 2020, very few imagined that an unknown disease will change their lives in ways they never have dreamed of. News broke around March 2020 in South Africa that a group of holidaymakers returning from Italy started to show flu-like symptoms. It turned out they contracted Coronavirus in Italy or during transit. Now South Africa has the most cases in Africa and ranks in the top 10 globally. COVID-19 disrupted life as a whole. We are now in the third month working from home. We have become experts in the use of teleconferencing tools like Zoom and Teams.
It's tempting to see purpose in setbacks. While I wasn't selected for the Unit Head - Climate Change position after three applications, a PhD in climate finance feels like the right next step. The University of Pretoria will be my initial target, and I plan to spend 2024 developing a compelling research proposal. My initial interest in climate change governance has evolved towards climate finance, particularly timely with COP28 in Dubai. My city-based experience with climate finance projects has further piqued my curiosity. I'm eager to delve into the political motivations behind climate finance and explore frameworks for our city to better utilize these resources. Beyond the personal challenge, a PhD presents an opportunity to explore new career paths. While the future five years remain uncertain, my 20+ years as a climate change practitioner make this a natural progression, solidifying my expertise in the field. A long-held ambition is to document the city's envir...
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