The Sustainable Energy and Environment for Development programme celebrated 12 years of proactively tackling the need for sustainable energy in South Africa's urban areas on Thursday.

Over the past 12 years, the programme had received R15-million in funding towards research and the implementation of different initiatives, with Denmark being one of its significant funders.

Sustainable Energy Africa programme manager Megan Euston-Brown said that the Danish government has been a major funder and supporter from the start and had been instrumental in allowing the programme to move forward with critical goals and strategic phases set by the programme.

"We would like to thank them for their invaluable contribution and look forward to the coming years of promoting sustainable, low carbon urban futures."

Ambassador of Denmark to South Africa Dan Frederiksen added that the strides made by the programme were considerable. "It has created critical awareness among energy decision-makers at local level on the importance of integrating sustainable approaches into urban development.

The programme had determined that the energy consumption in South Africa's major cities was on a par with Berlin, London and Paris, while development levels remained far lower, with almost 100% of energy consumption being fossil-fuel based. The study showed that without intervention, energy consumption in urban areas would double within twenty years.