The Western Cape government is set to scrap the position of commissioner for the environment, created 20 years ago, but never filled. This incensed a young advocate, Winston Erasmus, who was called to the bar just two weeks ago and decided to take on the Western Cape government for failing to appoint an environment commissioner, who he argued could have helped prevent Cape … [Read more...]
What are the next steps to domesticate the Paris Agreement?
Although South Africa has announced its intention to sign the Paris Agreement, there is still a long road ahead before it can be translated into constructive action domestically. The Paris climate change conference (UNFCCC COP21) stood out as not only a symbol of global solidarity, but also a beacon of hope for the then flailing international climate change negotiations. It … [Read more...]
SA working hard behind the scenes to fight climate change
South Africa will be able to take some of the credit if the world takes effective steps to limit climate change at the 2015 United Nations Climate Conference (COP21) in Paris from 30 November to 11 December. Of course this has taken much too long. So said Professor Bob Scholes, Global Change and Sustainability Research Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, during a … [Read more...]
Constitutional right to natural health products under jeopardy
Does your health depend on natural supplements, remedies or traditional products? Do you know that a proposed new bill is threatening the availability of the products you rely on? Some are already impossible to get hold of. Then sign a petition by the Traditional and Natural Health Alliance to the National Council of Provinces to stop Bill 6, which may destoy your choice to … [Read more...]
Climate hearings heat up with an eye on Paris
Many moving events are happening in the build up to the most important conference ever on the future of this planet. Last week parliament's Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs devoted one and a half days to holding Climate Hearings. Here was a bumper full hall of colourful people from our rainbow nation – from all sectors and walks of life – pleading with the … [Read more...]
Rich-poor climate reconciliation in sight at UN talks
The UN climate process is a complex beast, but at its heart lies a debate over the balance of responsibilities between rich and poor. It’s a pointed subject right now as the global climate change architecture is being reconfigured, with December’s Paris summit the endgame venue. In previous deals, the 42 countries deemed industrialised in 1992, plus post-Soviet states, … [Read more...]
Africa Progress Panel supports G7 fossil fuel & renewable energy targets
The Africa Progress Panel welcomes the commitment made by the G7 to make deep cuts in emissions and to phase out of fossil fuels by the end of the century. In this year’s Africa Progress Report, “Power, People, Planet: Seizing Africa’s Energy and Climate Opportunities”, the Panel calls on the countries that emit the most to raise their level of ambition and implement their … [Read more...]
Bolivia opens up national parks to oil and gas firms
The Madidi National Park in north-west Bolivia is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. One particularly astonishing fact: the park hosts 11% of the world’s bird species, according to Bolivia’s park service, SERNAP, and the US-based Wildlife Conservation Society. Bolivia’s government calls Madidi a “protected area”, but really it’s no such thing. 75% of its 1.8 … [Read more...]
Achieving practical sustainable goals for South Africa
We have constantly been made aware of the dangers of climate change in recent years, as global temperatures continue to rise and natural disasters affect human settlement more frequently. The dialogue of world leaders repeatedly emphasises the need to focus on the development of a green economy to ensure the wellbeing of our planet. In working towards achieving the county’s … [Read more...]
New eco Rainbow Warrior in Cape Town for renewable power
Greenpeace’s iconic ship - the Rainbow Warrior – has arrived in Cape Town for a month long tour of the South African coastline, as part of a Greenpeace campaign to highlight the fact that renewable energy investments are the solution to the current electricity crisis. The environmentally friendly ship will dock at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront in South Africa from the 9th – … [Read more...]
COP20 closes with even weaker climate pact
After two weeks of negotiations, the world community has yet again failed to take any meaningful actions to prevent landmark global warming and instead has produced a "roadmap to global burning," leading climate campaigners lamented upon the close of the United Nations COP20 climate talks in Lima, Peru on Sunday. In the wee hours of the morning, two days past the intended … [Read more...]
Small farms and organic practices can feed the world
Governments must shift subsidies and research funding from agro-industrial monoculture to small farmers using ‘agroecological’ methods, according to the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. And as Nafeez Ahmed notes, her call coincides with a new agroecology initiative within the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation. Modern industrial agricultural methods can no … [Read more...]
Bigsis Dr. Auma Obama joins World Future Council
The older sister of US President Barack Obama, Dr. Auma Obama, was appointed Councillor of the World Future Council. This Hamburg-based organisation works with decision-makers worldwide to implement policy solutions that secure the rights of future generations. At an official meeting with WFC board members Alexandra Wandel and Stefan Keinert, she signed the acceptance … [Read more...]
