The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) launched its Fashion Forever Green Pact today; a call to immediate action for the fashion industry—brands, retailers and manufacturers alike—to adopt responsible sourcing in support of the world’s forests. With the rising need for renewable and sustainable fibres in recent years, man-made cellulosic fibres (MMCFs) have become the fastest … [Read more...]
A gift that gives back to a rare SA forest
Astonishingly, only 0.5% of land in South Africa is forested. And within this, our increasingly rare mistbelt forests occupy an even tinier fraction. On the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal lies one such special place. Ferncliffe. It is the precious remnant of a biome that originally stretched over 2000 hectares. In a largely dry country, Ferncliffe is blessed … [Read more...]
Connecting home to nature at the heart of true wellness
Today’s architecture takes its cues from nature. And rightfully so. It’s the underlying ethos of many new North Coast residential estates where developers have rehabilitated land once used for sugar cane farming or now overcome with alien vegetation. This architectural vision mimics natural shapes and forms, makes use of natural materials, and integrates design features that … [Read more...]
Rebuilding relationships over natural resources in Darfur
Every year on 19 August, World Humanitarian Day offers the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations an opportunity to celebrate the daily work of humanitarian responders worldwide and recognize their dedication to helping others. World Humanitarian Day also gives us pause to reflect on how to continue improving the humanitarian response to climate change and complex … [Read more...]
Springbok Damian Willemse plants THE SEED
Fresh off his participation in the Springboks World Cup winning campaign and the British & Irish tour success Damian Willemse has announced the launch of his project THE SEED. It was created in partnership with global planting business, One Tree Planted, with a clear goal in raising R500 000 for the planting of trees in local areas that need it most. Damians’ attendance … [Read more...]
Greenpeace Africa responds to Congo oil block cancellation
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has decided to remove Salonga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from the List of World Heritage in Danger. The decision follows clarification “provided by the national authorities that the oil concessions overlapping with the property are null and void and that these blocks will be excluded from future … [Read more...]
German bank funding deforestation in Cameroon
For the second time in 12 months, Deutsche Bank is about to violate its own Environmental and Social Policy Framework. By mid-2021, the bank is expected to transfer the second tranche of a 25m USD loan to Singapore-based rubber giant Halcyon Agri, knowingly overlooking its record of human rights violations, non-transparency, and some of the most devastating deforestation in … [Read more...]
EU Commission includes fossil fuels in green taxonomy proposal
For the last year, Central and Eastern European governments have been pressuring the EU to include less restrictive criteria for biomass energy production and to recognise natural gas as a transition fuel towards climate neutrality. They may have realised their ambitions with the current draft of the EU Sustainable Taxonomy proposal. Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) will be … [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...]
SA researchers shortlisted in international forestry research award
Three South African researchers have made it to the global shortlist of the Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Awards. They were selected from 14 candidates in the South African round. The awards, launched in 2016 by the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA), aim to recognise, celebrate and promote innovations being developed in the global … [Read more...]
New illegal forest concessions in the DRC
Greenpeace Africa calls on the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, to order the immediate cancellation of four illegal forest concession contracts signed last June 11 by the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Claude Nyamugabo. Greenpeace Africa calls on the public prosecutor to open proceedings. In an action brought by civil … [Read more...]
Most forest biomass worse for climate than fossil fuels
A European Commission report concludes that the burning of most forest biomass produces more greenhouse gas emissions than coal, oil and gas. In 23 out of the 24 scenarios the Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) examined, biomass had a negative impact on climate, biodiversity, or both. Indeed the report, published this Monday, finds that most of the forest biomass … [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...]
