When the community members of Nzinga requested assistance with the clearing of alien vegetation to improve access for their livestock for grazing purposes, the Sappi-WWF partnership saw this as a great fit for the work being done in the uMkhomazi catchment to improve water security in the area. As a result, a team of 10 individuals has been identified, appointed, and trained … [Read more...]
UCT divests from fossil fuels
Climate activist group Fossil Free South Africa (FFSA) is “heartened” by the University of Cape Town Council’s decision, announced today, to divert the university’s investments away from climate-destroying fossil fuels. The news was announced in the minutes of the latest meeting of the UCT Council, which last met on 12 March 2022. Council noted that it had previously agreed … [Read more...]
A climate case for wood
It’s fair to say that most people, when thinking about the resources we have to fight climate change, don’t immediately think of forestry. But there is a climate case for wood – it is the only material that can naturally and significantly decarbonise our planet by driving down demand for illegally harvested wood, and provide functional alternatives to non-renewable materials … [Read more...]
Envisioning an alternative future for women in South Africa
On International Women’s Day, advocacy groups analyse South Africa’s socio-economic stressors through a feminist lens, envisioning what an alternative future for women could look like. Women continue to champion the cause for a future in South Africa where women are treated equitably, shielded from violence and can enjoy undisrupted access to vital healthcare services. Civil … [Read more...]
Taking climate action now can secure our future
Human-induced climate change is causing dangerous and widespread disruption in nature and affecting the lives of billions of people around the world, despite efforts to reduce the risks. People and ecosystems least able to cope are being hardest hit, said scientists in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, released last month. “This report is … [Read more...]
South Africa’s southern right whales need our help
WWF South Africa and the University of Pretoria’s Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit are teaming up to support research on southern right whales which are facing a variety of new threats, not least the impact of a warming climate on their food supply. The Whale Unit, which falls under UP’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, has been monitoring southern right … [Read more...]
Small-scale fishers hopeful for a court ruling to stop seismic surveys
Small-scale fishers from communities in the West Coast – joined by The Green Connection – were back in court Thursday to finally put a stop to Searcher’s seismic blasting of the west and south-west coast of South Africa. The Western Cape High Court heard arguments to decide if the ban – which took effect on 7 February when the Honourable Justice Thulare directed Searcher to … [Read more...]
Greater collaboration needed between Africa and Europe
As part of a global organisation that advances worldwide solutions to the climate crisis, we recognise that the sixth summit of European Union (EU) and African Union (AU) heads of state and government, taking place on 17–18 February 2022 in Brussels, presents opportunities that can potentially benefit the whole of society on both continents. There is now a greater need than … [Read more...]
Will SA join the call to protect 30% by 2030?
Time is running out to protect nature — that is the clear message from the newly launched 30x30 NOW campaign, which aims to highlight the severity and urgency of the biodiversity crisis that South Africa and the world is facing and champion the global goal of protecting at least 30% of the world’s land and sea by 2030. As President Ramaphosa highlighted at the State of the … [Read more...]
Oxfam cautions against mining in Lower Zambezi
Oxfam in Southern Africa has expressed concern over the ongoing and highly controversial Lower Zambezi National Park (LZNP) mining saga and cautions the Zambian government on the move to proceed with mining activity in the national park. On 31st January 2022, media reports cited the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment as having indicated that the embattled open-pit … [Read more...]
Most of SA’s banks steering clear of new oil pipeline
On Tuesday 1st February, after years of delay, France’s Total and China’s CNOOC Ltd signed the Final Investment Decision (FID) to proceed with the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project. While heralded by the project proponents as a major breakthrough, the project is yet to secure all of the required financing. Now, four out of five of South Africa’s largest lenders … [Read more...]
Koeksister Project for Building Resilient Towns kicks-off in Saldanha Bay
Climate change. Economic and social recovery from Covid. Growing unemployment and deepening inequality. These are just a few of the issues facing South Africans today. Recent events have exposed that our towns and communities are not resilient/strong enough to cope with the economic and energy shocks (such as loadshedding), nor to deal with the extreme weather events that … [Read more...]
Court blocks Searcher seismic blasting, for now
On Monday afternoon, small-scale fishers from the West Coast and beyond breathed a sigh of relief when the Honourable Justice Thulare directed Searcher to discontinue any activities related to the seismic survey. This followed a nail biting few weeks since Searcher Geodata UK Limited commenced its seismic blasting operations in late January. The interim interdict has been … [Read more...]
