The fate of one of Africa’s most valuable ecosystems may depend on results from wells being drilled deep into the bedrock beneath the Kalahari of northern Namibia and Botswana in the hunt for a petroleum reservoir. For a distance of some 150km, Canadian company ReconAfrica’s oil and gas prospecting concessions border the Okavango River, a crucial source of water in a … [Read more...]
National shark conservation plan of action released
The Department of Environment Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) recently released the official report on the National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (NPOA-Sharks) in South Africa. In May 2020, following public concern about shark populations along the South African coast, the Minister of (DEFF), Ms Barbara Creecy, appointed an Expert Panel to … [Read more...]
EU Sustainable Taxonomy must be rooted in climate science
The global climate strikes have consistently made a simple demand: listen to the science. We agree. Just as experts and evidence have been key assets in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, so too must they, and not sectoral interests, determine our policies to fight the climate crisis. WWF Central and Eastern Europe, along with a coalition of NGOs, think-tanks, experts and … [Read more...]
Plastic ocean waste NPO receives two global awards
Former Ballito resident, Clare Swithenbank-Bowman (main picture, on the left), founder of the non-profit organisation (NPO), Litter4Tokens, received two international Stevie Awards for Women in Business via a virtual awards’ ceremony held on Wednesday, 9 December 2020. The Stevie Awards, considered the world's premier business awards, were introduced in 2002 to honour and … [Read more...]
Developing new ideas for reducing plastic pollution
Municipality, business and community are collaborating to clean up the environment and get plastic waste out of the rivers and ocean and back into the value chain. Minster of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, the Honourable Mrs Creecy, launched the use of a Beach Rake and the Inkwazi Isu on 19 September at Toti Main Beach in KwaZulu Natal. Inkwazi Isu (Fisheagle … [Read more...]
Sustainable ocean resources are key to African growth
Entrepreneurs, executives, investors, scientists and government representatives from around the world gathered online recently for the second edition of Ocean Innovation Africa, a platform dedicated to fostering connection, knowledge-sharing and discovery between leaders looking to make a positive impact on the continent’s oceans economy. The two-day summit, organised by … [Read more...]
Youth protest lack of climate action in Joburg
“This year has been a complete right-off for climate action and a massive knock for the people, especially the youth, of this country! We are in a race against time to keep temperatures well-below 2 degrees or stabilise at 1.5°C degrees, and as it stands, current levels of warming has already resulted in human rights’ violations.” So said Earthlife Africa Johannesburg … [Read more...]
Recycling tips for the December holidays
The holidays can be surprisingly heavy on waste, so it pays to be mindful of yours these holidays. Not only will you reduce your environmental footprint, but you can also support waste collectors by ensuring that your recyclables are clean and separate. December is often a time for people to do a bit of a declutter at home or at the office. If it’s time to clear out those … [Read more...]
Clarity needed on safety of ‘plugged’ deep sea oil well
Following the announcement, last week, by oil and gas giant Total that it has “demobilised its Deepsea Stavanger drill rig along with all support vessels, after concluding its drilling activities on the exploration well Luiperd-1X in Block 11B/12B on 23 November 2020”, the Green Connection’s Neville Van Rooy says he is concerned about who will be held responsible for any … [Read more...]
National award for Mpumalanga recycling initiative
A Mpumalanga recycling project has received acclaim for improving the lives and livelihoods of Ermelo community members while making a positive difference to the environment. When Johanna Leshabane launched Bophelo Recycling in 2007 after being retrenched, little did she know that her dream of fighting unemployment in her community would evolve into an award-winning … [Read more...]
‘Protecting forever, together’ more important than ever
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is proud to share with you their 2020 Integrated Report, which provides an overview of the EWT’s conservation impact throughout the region in the previous financial year. Here is the intro by EWT CEO Dirk Ackerman: 2020 will go down in the annals of history as the year of the pandemic, as COVID-19 dominated the news agenda. One of the … [Read more...]
The wooden economy and the world’s ultimate renewable
For millennia, trees have provided mankind with fuel, food, fibre and medicine from their fruit, flowers, roots, wood, leaves and branches. In fact, many things we use daily are connected to wood. Printer paper, chewing gum, planks, viscose fabric, vitamins, pallets, toilet tissue, toothpaste, and detergents all have a link back to wood. Wood is made up of cellulose, … [Read more...]
Civil society calls for protection of Piatúa River
On November 26, a coalition of civil society organizations and law professors submitted an amicus brief to Ecuador’s Constitutional Court calling for the protection of the Piatúa River based on the Rights of Nature and Indigenous rights. The Piatúa River is under threat from a hydroelectric project that Ecuador’s government approved without the free, prior, and informed … [Read more...]
