South Africa’s – and Africa’s – efforts to move towards a circular economy could be boosted by improved collaboration and partnerships between public sector, private sector and communities; and by decentralising programmes and infrastructure to enable broader participation and progress. This is according to experts participating in a panel discussion on Opportunities in … [Read more...]
Bold action and strategies required to tackle climate change
The City of Cape Town’s draft Climate Change Strategy is available for public comment from 1 to 30 September 2020. Climate change is a global threat and Cape Town is particularly vulnerable. Residents and interested parties are encouraged to please participate in this process. It is the City’s vision to create an urban environment that is climate resilient, resource … [Read more...]
Meet the finalists of this year’s virtual Eco-Logic Awards
The 9th annual Eco-Logic Awards hosted by the Enviropaedia, will present its first ever virtual event on 21 September, which is also International Day of Peace. The awards highlight the eco-logically beneficial products, services and people who are taking effective action to protect and preserve our environment. “We will not let Covid-19 prevent us from celebrating and … [Read more...]
Providing clean, safe water to protect human health
The provision of safe water, sanitation and hygienic conditions is essential for protecting human health during all infectious disease outbreaks including COVID-19. SANEDI (South African National Energy and Development Institute) is partnering with the Department of Defence (DoD) for a Water Treatment Works project at the SANDF Air Force Base in Hoedspruit in the Maruleng … [Read more...]
World Environment Day calls for an end to nature’s destruction
One million plant and animal species risk extinction, largely due to human activities. These are issues the world cannot lose sight of even as we tackle the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing climate crisis. The theme for World Environment Day, 5 June 2020, is biodiversity — a call to action to combat the accelerating species loss and degradation of the natural … [Read more...]
EU commission plans green reset for agriculture
Yesterday, the European Commission published their roadmap for EU policy action on biodiversity and food for the coming decade. In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak that has brought our relationship with the natural world into sharp focus, the strategies have never been more timely. The EU Farm to Fork and 2030 Biodiversity Strategies launched today are potential game … [Read more...]
New fund aims to grow green businesses in SA
The Green Outcomes Fund (GOF), a first of its kind structure, incentivises local South African fund managers to increase investment in green businesses. Through a partnership officially signed on 31 January 2020 between National Treasury’s Jobs Fund and GreenCape, the R488m fund provides outcomes-based matched (concessional) funding to local investment funds to support … [Read more...]
Growing in the now
When the news broke it hit me in the chest. I have a high-risk child on immune suppressant drugs. Have fought so hard for him. My own lungs are damaged from embolisms. My other 2 smoke. Brutal. Yet all of life is at any given moment perched on the tip of a pin. Life had taught me that many times. The news unfolded in waves of shock… then the conflicting stories… matched by … [Read more...]
Growing green sectional title schemes
Rising utility costs, paired with competitively priced sustainable tools to supplement municipal electricity and water use, mean that sectional title schemes are becoming a more viable marketplace for the green building sector. While each scheme has unique characteristics, their expenses are often centred around meeting similar needs, namely: electricity and water use, … [Read more...]
Driving water conservation through adjusted pricing models
South Africa remains under pressure when it comes to efficient water use and conservation, where limited supply is increasingly stressed by rising demand, aged and insufficient infrastructure and lack of consumer awareness. South Africa is rated as the 39th driest country in the world, receiving only half the average annual rainfall that the rest of the world can expect. … [Read more...]
Cape High Court rules in favour of the PHA Campaign
In a precedent-setting ruling, Judge Kate Savage on Monday declared that South African municipalities must take climate change and water scarcity into account when making planning decisions. The Western Cape High Court ruling states that the rezone permission and environmental authorisations for the development known as Oaklands City are suspended, and must be returned to … [Read more...]
Swimmers brave pollution to highlight poor river health
On Sunday 9 February Cape Town open water swimmer Andrew Chin, along with fellow athletes Dr Mandy Uys and Joy Roach from East London, swam a 10km stretch of the Bronkhorstspruit River in Gauteng. This formed part of their broader Swim for Rivers campaign, which aims to raise awareness around the poor state of our country’s rivers and to highlight the urgent need to restore … [Read more...]
How can we take action to fight climate change?
The words ‘climate change’ are known by 41% of South Africans, according to a recent August 2019 Afro barometer Survey. However, there is quite a stark difference between having a term in our lexicon, and knowing what it means. There seems to be a stream of never-ending news on events like the April 2019 KwaZulu-Natal floods, and severe drought leaving several provinces … [Read more...]
