World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)’s new Potential of Barrier Removal to Reconnect Europe’s Rivers report analyses a sample of 30,000 barriers on large and medium-sized rivers in Europe, and assesses their reconnection potential for the whole continent, the EU27, and by country. The conclusions are based on the length of river which could be reconnected, and the ecological … [Read more...]
Additional offshore drilling plans for Mossel Bay on hold
The Green Connection and its partners – small-scale subsistence fishers from around the country – have welcomed TOTAL E & P South Africa B.V’s announcement that it will postpone their application for additional drilling and associated activities in Block 11B/12B off South Africa’s south coast. The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) process has also been … [Read more...]
Business owner recognised for her recycling impact
Loretta Waterboer, the winner of the PETCO Awards Top Woman in Recycling, 2021 is a wonderful and passionate role model for female leadership in our industry, running her own business, LW Recycling and Trade, and partnering with the Mosselbank River Conservation Trust (MRCT) for a bigger impact in her community. When MRCT environmental officer Danielle Cronje started working … [Read more...]
Forging a path to forest restoration and well-being
The theme for this year’s International Day of Forests (IDF) is “Forest restoration: a path to recovery and well-being” and it’s one that resonates with the local forest industry. “Many people don’t know that timber plantations in South Africa were originally established to provide an alternative timber supply, in order to protect our few natural forests from further … [Read more...]
Better recycling needed to protect limited water resources
Water, as we know, is a limited resource that is essential for all life on this planet. This makes it all the more astounding that so many of us simply take it for granted, especially in a semi-arid country like South Africa. This should clearly demonstrate that it is vital that the nation as a whole changes the value it places on this life-giving resource. World Water Day … [Read more...]
Educating the public about water conservation
The SA government’s annual National Water Week campaign for 2021 is scheduled to take place during the week of 15 – 22 March, culminating in the United Nations’ World Water Day that will this year be celebrated around the world on Monday, 22 March 2021. The aim of this annual event is to educate the public about their responsibility in water conservation initiatives, whilst … [Read more...]
The search for sustainable cotton
"We are at a unique stage in our history. Never before have we had such an awareness of what we are doing to the planet, and never before have we had the power to do something about that… The future of humanity and indeed, all life on earth, now depends on us." - David Attenborough. From David Attenborough to world leaders, we are hearing that the next decade will determine … [Read more...]
Cape Town’s top 10 green innovators announced
Invest Cape Town and The Business Hub, initiatives of the City of Cape Town, in partnership with GreenCape, invited innovators and entrepreneurs with economically viable green economy innovation business ideas to enter the Invest Cape Town | Business Hub GreenPitch Challenge 2021. From close to 40 excellent nationwide entries, the following innovations have been announced as … [Read more...]
Bringing wetlands back to life in Romania
Up to 87% of global wetlands have been lost in the past 300 years, 1/3 of those just since 1970. The world’s ‘wetland blindness’ is inexplicable given the pivotal role of healthy wetlands in delivering global commitments on climate change, sustainable development & biodiversity. Wetland loss has significantly contributed to the huge loss of species populations over the same … [Read more...]
Water decisions that build climate resilience in Africa
A climate resilient project in Zambia supported by the African Development Bank and Climate Investment Funds (CIF) has won the Water ChangeMaker People’s Choice Award-Africa. The Strengthening Climate Resilience in the Kafue Sub-basin Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (SCRiKA) beat two other finalists identified by an expert jury to win first prize with roughly 7,000 … [Read more...]
Concerns raised about Saldanha gas-to-power plant
While South Africa struggles to survive the impacts of the CoVid-19 pandemic, along with being ravaged by all the corruption that continues to be exposed, the Green Connection questions our government’s reasoning for pushing through Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), when there is little or no chance of meaningful engagement with those communities who will be most … [Read more...]
Report details the growing threat of ageing dams
By 2050, most people on Earth will live downstream of tens of thousands of large dams built in the 20th century, many of them already operating at or beyond their design life, according to a UN University analysis. The report, Ageing water infrastructure: An emerging global risk, by UNU's Canadian-based Institute for Water, Environment and Health, says most of the 58,700 … [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...]
